“Martin the Sea Turtle” is a short but sweet independent film by Molly Clarke; and I’m pretty sure the phrase ‘when one door closes, another one opens’ was the inspiration behind this film.
The four-minute short follows Martin, a sea turtle (not a real one, just one performed by young actress and filmmaker Molly Clarke in a sea turtle costume). Martin is a sea turtle who (believe it or not) goes into anaphylactic shock if he comes in contact with salt water, and thus starts life anew on land at a resort, taking to his new life of waiting on tables, assuming the role of a lifeguard at the resort’s freshwater slide, and the other assorted tasks that are allotted to him like a pro. He even finds love at one point and it is just one of the many cute, but brief scenes in this movie which has its share of cute moments.
The movie is filmed in the style of a mockumentary with the protagonist (Martin) addressing the camera directly with some footage of himself going about his chores, being found abandoned at the beach, etc., spliced in-between in order to give us a taste of his life—and it honestly felt like I was listening to a close friend talk about their hurdles directly to me, but in a humorous manner that was also inspiring.
I enjoyed the humorous dialogue in this movie, and the sound effects (the digital as well as the physical ones that emerge out of Martin’s mouth as he recalls his past to the viewers) that are used which add more to the comedic quotient. Molly’s acting as Martin is worth a mention and she’s a natural in front of the camera. The cinematography is a team effort by Molly Clarke and her family, and it adds to the simplicity and innocent flavour of the storyline.
This short is available to view on YouTube on Molly Clarke’s channel, and is definitely worth a watch.
*”Martin the Sea Turtle”’screened and won at ‘New Faces New Voices’ film fest earlier this year.
