SEA STAR TIFF
As Chris steps into the pool at his first ever swimming lesson, we watch his attempts to face his past, battle his emotions and overcome a fear of water passed down through generations.
Sea Star, Tyler McKenzie Evans
Sea Star (2024) is a story about overcoming unspoken pain, with Black middle aged male, Chris (John Philips), deciding to deal with his trauma one step, or rather, one swimming lesson at a time.
The parameters of Black male masculinity rarely provide space for black males to ask “Am I okay?”, but this powerful short, takes us on Chris' journey as he does just that, putting us poolside as he excavates the emotions he had buried for so long.
The discussion of grief and vulnerability through the lens of learning a new skill is experimental, refreshing and shows that director Tyler McKenzie Evans, has an eye for unique storytelling. The visuals are delicate and inviting, a juxtaposition to the many layers of suffering felt by Chris, and the uncomfortable and hectic process of healing.
It is a bitter pill to swallow, knowing the commonality of being unable to swim in the Black community and the historical, systematic and psychological reasons for this, however, films like this begin a conversation and build a pathway for change.
Release Date: September 7th 2025 (Toronto International Film Festival)
Director(s): Tyler McKenzie Evans
Written: Tyler McKenzie Evans Producer (s): Malachi Ellis, Claire Desmarais
Starring: John Phillips, Joshua Obasi, Andrea Pavlovic Cinematography: Evan Ciniello
Runtime: 12 minutes