'Seabird' - UWE Graduate Film

"I am free, and that is why I am lost"

Hello! My name is Eva Churchill, the Director and Co-Writer of 'Seabird'. I am beyond pleased to announce that we are currently fundraising for our Graduate project at UWE Bristol.

Film Outline

Seabird is a quiet, reflective coming-of-age short set over the course of a single day. It follows Mara, a young woman returning to her seaside hometown, unsure of where she belongs. As she revisits familiar places, memories of her past surface, and she reconnects with Jack, someone who never left. Through fleeting moments, unspoken emotions, and the ever-present image of seabirds soaring above the waves, the film explores themes of nostalgia, loss, and the fear, and inevitability, of change.

Themes

Seabird explores grief and change, focusing on the protagonist’s return to her coastal home town. Confronting loss and transformation, the film uses the setting to mirror internal turmoil. Themes of nostalgia, regret, and renewal highlight the fear of letting go, emphasising how change, though painful, is necessary for personal growth.

Why 'Seabird' Matters

Seabird matters because it offers an intimate, visually poetic exploration of a universal experience through subtle and powerful storytelling. The film takes creative risks, embracing the complexity of human emotion while resonating with audiences.

The Team

Director - Eva Churchill

Producer - Jack Thomson

Writers - Eva Churchill and Joe Stebbens

Production Manager - Alwyn Owen

Assistant Director and Sustainability Officer - Em Robinson

Casting - Bella Dunbar

Director of Photography - Sophia Monk

Camera Operator - Teddy Gibbons

Gaffer - Jago Shelmerdine

Sound Operator - Jude Drew

Sound Editor - Olly Sprinks

Production Design - Ava Bryce and Lorna Martin

Colourist - Gideon Davies

Editor - Harry Farnhill-Bain

Director's Statement

This film is personal. Seabird reflects the uncertainty many of us feel at this stage in our lives, the fear of what comes next and finding peace in that uncertainty.

I find inspiration in the everyday. Films, music, photographs, and fleeting moments that evoke emotions we can’t always articulate. Seabird captures that: the cry of a bird overhead, the endless pull of the tide, the quiet vastness of home that no longer feels like home.

Visually, I want Seabird to feel like a memory, soft, textured, and immersive. Naturalistic cinematography will highlight the raw beauty of the coastline, while sound design will place us inside Mara’s head. Seabirds will be a recurring motif, symbolising both freedom and fear.

My priority as a director is to create something honest and deeply human. Through this film, I want audiences to experience that quiet moment of realisation; when you stop resisting the wind and just let it carry you.

Budget

We are aiming to raise £2,000 for the production of 'Seabird'. This is to cover travel, accommodation, actor fees and rights, production design, locations, and catering. We are hoping to crowdfund £1,500 and outsource external funding for the rest of the budget.

Why We Need Your Help!

Every donation, no matter the amount, brings us one step closer to making Seabird a reality. We are thrilled to announce that our graduation film will be showcased on the iconic IMAX Megascreen in Bristol at the start of June, an incredible opportunity that drives us to make Seabird a film we can all be proud of. With your support, we can bring this vision to life and ensure it becomes the memorable final project we are working so hard to create.

Closing Statement

Seabird is a story that matters, not just to me as a director, but to my peers, friends, and anyone who has faced struggles with their mental health or experienced feelings of uncertainty. It is a film that resonates on a personal level, offering a reflection of the challenges many of us navigate in our own lives. Mara’s journey mirrors our own, as students, filmmakers, and young adults standing on the edge of change. Like seabirds, we can’t control the wind. We can only spread our wings and trust it will carry us somewhere new.

Thank you, we hope to bring 'Seabird' to you very soon.

-- Eva Churchill & the Team of 'Seabird'.