Tethered (2023)

Ireland, 1986. On the eve of the passage of a centuries-old comet, an ethereal young woman called Aoibh is raising her brother Tadhg after their mother died some years before. Aoibh visits a nursing home that's perched on the edge of a lake, and bonds with her Grandmother there. She is a sagacious old woman whose fairy tales have more truth in them than they first appear to. Aoibh is always humming a song as she goes about the nursing home, and this ancient refrain reminds her Grandmother of one particular fairy tale that seems to give her new life. Mystical forces converge with a coming-of-age tale that celebrates the inescapable power of storytelling - through the plight of two very different women struggling to overcome grief. 'TETHERED' is a heart-rending fantasy short film that visualizes strands of folklore, family, and friendship by interweaving live-action, animation, and modern dance. It's an ode to mythology and the very art of storytelling, as well as an homage to 1980s fantasy cinema - but with a female focus.