Private Project

An Mor: Where the Tides Speak

An Mor: Where the Tides Speak is a captivating Cornish-English eco-adventure short film that explores the profound relationship between identity, belonging, and the natural world. A global collaboration between the UK, Canada, and Australia, the film reflects the universal connection to the ocean and its vital role in sustaining life on Earth.

Set along the rugged and awe-inspiring Cornish coastline, the film follows a young Zennor-born surfer and wild swimmer as she turns to the ocean and land to navigate a deeply personal crossroads. Shaped by her connection to Cornwall’s raw beauty and the mythical allure of her hometown’s namesake—the Cornish mermaid of Zennor—she reflects on her bond with the sea and faces the dilemma of leaving her coastal home to pursue her dream of becoming an actress in London.

Rooted in the legend of the Zennor mermaid, An Mor draws on the timeless connection between the sea and self-discovery, blending mythology with modern environmental storytelling. Through her journey, Zennor contemplates her future, wonders about her place in the world, and is filled with wonder at the ocean’s vastness, beauty, and its role in uniting people across continents.

Mindfully crafted as a green film, it was shot on 16mm with sustainable practices, embodying its commitment to preserving the natural world that inspires it.

Through evocative imagery and poetic storytelling, the film explores how the environment shapes who we are and our role as guardians of the land and sea. Celebrating the ocean as both a source of solace and strength, An Mor invites audiences to reflect on the delicate interplay between heritage, myth, self-discovery, and environmental stewardship.

With its powerful themes, stunning visuals, and eco-conscious approach, An Mor is a heartfelt tribute to the timeless wisdom of the tides, the enduring magic of Cornish folklore, and the wonder of the ocean as a life-sustaining force that connects us all across the globe.

  • Guy Potter
    Director
    Trengellick Rising
  • Nahlia Loren Couto
    Director
    Revival, Rosetta, People + Planet, One Love, Pow Hound
  • Nahlia Loren Couto
    Writer
    Revival, Rosetta, People + Planet, One Love, Pow Hound
  • Tristan Meredith
    Producer
  • Nahlia Loren Couto
    Producer
    Revival, Rosetta, People + planet, One Love, Pow Hound
  • Guy Potter
    Producer
    Trengellick Rising, Hegledh
  • Zennor Rose
    Key Cast
    "Zennor "
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 46 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 9, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 CAD
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    Cornish, English
  • Shooting Format:
    16mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Falmouth University
Director Biography - Guy Potter, Nahlia Loren Couto

Guy Potter
Guy Potter (born 25 April 1992) is a British actor, director, and producer, known for his work in film, television, and independent cinema. He is the founder of High Sierra Films and has appeared in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Ready Player One, and MotherFatherSon. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the National Youth Film Academy, he transitioned into directing with Trengellick Rising (2023), a Cornish-language short that premiered at the Oscar-qualifying Encounters Film Festival and won a Gorsedh Kernow award. He is currently in pre-production for Hegoledh (2024).

Nahlia Loren Couto
Nahlia Loren Couto is a Canadian eco-adventure filmmaker, storyteller, and founder of Earthbeat Studios, Inc. Her work blends adventure, environmental advocacy, and sustainable fashion, inspired by her experiences as a surfer, paddleboarder, and snowboarder. An award-winning director of Revival, Rosetta, One People + Planet, One Love, and Pow Hound, she is completing her Master’s in eco-adventure sustainable fashion film at Falmouth University. Her latest work, An Mór: The Tides Speak, reflects her dedication to poetic, green storytelling. Through her films, Nahlia inspires action to protect the planet while celebrating its beauty.

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Director Statement

Director’s Statement – An Mór: Where the Tides Speak
By Guy Potter & Nahlia Loren Couto

At its heart, An Mór: Where the Tides Speak is a meditation on time, memory, and the deep, unspoken dialogue between land, sea, and people. As filmmakers, we are drawn to stories that transcend language—where the natural world becomes both a character and a storyteller. This film is our attempt to listen to those voices, to capture the poetry of the tides, and to explore the ways in which our identities are shaped by the landscapes we call home.

Cornwall’s rugged coastlines and ever-shifting waters are more than a setting; they are living, breathing entities that hold the echoes of history. The sea does not forget. It carries our stories, our losses, and our hopes in its currents. Through visual anthropology, immersive cinematography, and an intentional embrace of slowness, we seek to immerse the audience in this ebb and flow—to invite them into a space where time feels fluid, where past and present merge like waves against the shore.

As co-directors, we bring our distinct yet deeply intertwined perspectives. Guy’s passion for historical and cultural storytelling meets Nahlia’s vision of eco-adventure filmmaking, where movement through nature becomes a narrative force. Together, we have crafted a film that is both cinematic and sensory, an experience designed to be felt as much as it is seen.

We believe that storytelling is an act of preservation. An Mór is our offering—an ode to the power of place, to the voices of the water, and to the quiet resilience of those who live in harmony with the tides. It is a story of belonging, of loss, of longing—and above all, of listening.

— Guy Potter & Nahlia Loren Couto