Private Project

Between Mangroves

Buddy the cowardly Galapagos sealion grows up dependent on his mother as a food source. After becoming an adult, Buddy quickly realizes he needs to find his own food, meaning he must conquer his fear of the ocean. Unready to do so, he lays on the beach procrastinating when a stranded sea bird chick suddenly appears, hungry for a meal. From creeping around tidepools to asking other animals, Buddy tries every way possible to get fish for the two of them without entering the ocean. Despite his efforts, Buddy and the bird are still hungry. As Buddy sulks on the beach, his bird friend ends up accidentally falling into the ocean and begins calling for help. Determined to save her, Buddy takes a courageous leap into the ocean. As he opens his eyes, Buddy sees the beautiful ocean around him, watching as other Galapagos animals swim through the reef, realizing that the ocean is not so bad after all. Buddy saves his new friend and gives her a fish, before they swim off together.

  • Larissa Bromley
    Director
  • Larissa Bromley
    Writer
  • Larissa Bromley
    Producer
  • Austin Kong
    Primary Music and Sound Effects
  • John Donovan
    Additional Sound Effects
  • James Ho
    Additional Sound Effects
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short, Student, Other
  • Genres:
    animals
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes 36 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2026
  • Country of Origin:
    Ireland, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Ireland
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Griffith/Pulse College
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Larissa Bromley

My name is Larissa Bromley. I grew up in Orange County, Southern California. I have worked for Three Train Studios as a concept artist, and collaborated with various musicians creating album covers and music videos. My personal work heavily focuses on my original characters and nature conservation. I started drawing characters, creatures, and writing stories at a very young age, and decided I wanted to become an animator and create art and films about my characters and the environment in high school. I finished my schooling at Pulse College/Griffith College in Dublin, Ireland, and I will officially graduate with my BA in animation this spring.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

MUSIC TO BE EDITED FURTHER. Between Mangroves is a film I created inspired by my travels to the Galapagos. The story follows a young Galapagos sea lion finding his way in the adult world. Creating this film, I wanted to shine a positive light about growing up and gaining responsibilities and privileges to young people. At the same time, I aimed to raise awareness about the Galapagos Islands, by showcasing loveable characters based on real animals of the Galapagos Islands.
Animated film can be a wonderful medium for representation, and I decided I wanted to draw attention to the beautiful ecosystem of the Galapagos. The Galapagos Islands are currently a heavily protected archipelago, and citizens of the islands work diligently to protect and live harmoniously with the wildlife there. As the global environment faces drastic man-made issues, it is extremely important for young people to grow love and awareness for places like the Galapagos, so they can continue to be protected for generations to come.
Not only did I want to showcase the Galapagos, but I additionally aimed to give young people confidence watching my film. As an American highschooler, many of my peers feared adult responsibilities, such as working, driving, or moving somewhere new for college. Despite being judged harshly by peers of the same age when I decided to attend college out of the country, I had matured, made amazing connections, and gained vital knowledge related to my career and myself. I noticed that after, some of my friends also began gaining the confidence to take control of their own lives, completing goals and actively chasing their dreams and careers. Through Between Mangroves, I wanted to give more young people this sense of confidence growing up.
The main character fears the ocean, a representation for independence. I notice many young people fearing growing up but simultaneously wanting adult privileges, although, in order to gain these privileges, responsibility must be faced. After coming across a helpless young bird, the main character decides he wants to take care of her. In order to achieve this, he must face his fear so he can fulfill the responsibility of feeding both of them.
After diving into the water, the main character realizes the ocean is not as scary as he thought, seeing beauty and how many other creatures depend on the undersea world. I aim to give young people hope that growing up can be a beautiful thing.
Through combining the environment and coming of age through Between Mangroves, I have sought after teaching young people the wonder of coming of age, and hope to spread awareness of the Galapagos for generations to come. You can contact me for an essay written on the film if needed.