Mermaids' Lament

Dr. Nell Jamison (Justina Mattos), a brilliant yet haunted psychiatrist, finds her carefully constructed world shattered when she crosses paths with Oee (Dayva Summer Escobar), a young woman who insists she is a mermaid. Oee’s unyielding assertion of her mermaid identity forces Nell to reevaluate the fragile balance between perception and reality and plunge into her own psyche. Their bond becomes a conduit for exploring the depths of the human experience, where self-discovery, empathy, and the profound mysteries of the sea intertwine.

  • GB Hajim
    Director
    Strange Frame (2012)
  • GB Hajim
    Producer
    Strange Frame (2012)
  • Dayva Summer Escobar
    Key Cast
    "Oee"
  • Justina Mattos
    Key Cast
    "Nell"
    Toward Living Pono
  • Michael Gregory
    Key Cast
    "Ed"
  • Owen Costello
    Key Cast
    "Adam"
  • Steve Blum
    Key Cast
    "Guru"
    Star Wars: Rebels, Cowboy Bebop, Wolverine and the X-Men
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Magical Realism, Psychological Drama, Fantasy
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 30, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Dances with Films
    Los Angeles
    United States
    June 24, 2023
    World Premiere
    Nominated for Best Feature
  • Big Syn Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    November 14, 2023
    UK Premiere
    Best Feature Film
  • The Palace Theater
    Hilo
    United States
    November 25, 2023
    Hawaii Premiere
Director Biography - GB Hajim

For over 25 years, GB HAJIM has been supporting the Hawaiian Renaissance through his multimedia work. He has produced award-winning Hawaiian language dramas, animations, documentaries, podcasts, and educational programs.

His first feature, the 2D animated, sci-fi lesbian, musical Strange Frame (2013) attracted an all-star cast from Claudia Black to Cree Summer, Tim Curry to George Takei, Academy Award winner Gary Rizzo for sound, and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd for music. It is among the top 250 sci-fi films ever made as ranked on IMDb.

GB presently splits his time between working with the Hawaiian community, writing screenplays, freediving, and farming.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My son and I have anxiety. Without medication it can be unbearable at times. The one place we never feel anxious is in the ocean. We freedive with large sharks, whales, and dolphins. We swim sometimes kilometers offshore without trepidation. We found other people that deal with anxiety and trauma with ocean therapy, mermaiding, or freediving. Our production team gathered our own experiences with suicidal ideation, eating disorders, trauma, sexual assault, and anxiety to develop this psychological drama steeped in magical realism. It is a celebration of neurodivergency and recovery.