The Rock Pool Waltz

During COVID lockdown, a boy’s affinity with nature eases his loneliness and leads to an incredible friendship.

  • Marlon Denning
    Director
  • Marlon Denning
    Writer
  • Marlon Denning
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    December 31, 2021
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Cape Byron Rudolf Steiner School
  • Flickerfest International Short Film Festival, Sydney, Australia
    Sydney
    Australia
    January 29, 2022
    Australian Premiere
    FlickerUp Best High School Film
  • Byron All Shorts
    Byron Bay
    Australia
    April 2, 2022
    Best High School Short
  • Cannes Short Film Festival
    Cannes
    France
    August 16, 2022
    Festival Directors Award - Best Student Film, Audience Award
  • Lantern and Light International Children's Film Festival
    Belgrave
    Australia
    September 17, 2022
    Grand Prix Best Film and Best Documentary
  • Discover Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 29, 2022
    UK Premiere
    Emerging Talent and Craghoppers Prize Emerging Talent
  • Topanga Film Festival
    Topanga
    United States
    October 6, 2022
    United States Premiere
    Documentary Excellence
  • Byron Bay International Film Festival
    Byron Bay
    Australia
    October 29, 2022
    Offical Selection
  • Nature Film Festival Adelaide
    Adelaide
    Australia
    October 14, 2022
    Connection With Nature
  • Canberra International Short Film Festival
    Canberra
    Australia
    November 19, 2022
    Best Documentary U/18's, Best Film U/18's and The Spiritus Award
  • Wild and Scenic Film Festival
    Nevada City
    United States
    February 16, 2023
    Kid's Honourable Mention
  • A-Film Teens Fest
    Prague
    Czech Republic
    February 8, 2023
    Best Film of the Category
  • Colorado Environmental Film Festival
    Colorado
    United States
    February 22, 2023
    Offical Selection, Top 10 Best Kid's Short films
  • Bass Coast Shorts
    Wanthaggi
    Australia
    August 4, 2023
    Best Film Under 18's
  • LandxSea Festival
    Montrose
    United Kingdom
    September 17, 2023
    Offical Selection
  • MICE Film Festival
    Valencia
    Spain
    October 16, 2023
    Europe Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Chicago International Childrens Film Festival
    Chicago
    United States
    November 3, 2023
    Offical Selection
  • Boston International Kids Film Festival
    Boston
    United States
    November 11, 2023
    Best Student Documentary
  • Children's Film Festival Seattle
    Seattle
    United States
    February 2, 2024
    Seattle Premiere
    Offical Selection
  • Allentown Film Festival
    Allentown
    United States
    April 6, 2024
    Offical Selection
  • International Wildlife Film Festival 47
    Missuola
    United States
    April 20, 2024
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Marlon Denning

Hi, I'm Marlon.
This is my very first film. I produced this film for my Year 8 Major High School Project in 2021.
I am delighted that it won the 2022 Sydney Flickerfest Best High School film, and the 2022 Byron All Shorts Best High School film and has gone on to be screened and awarded internationally!!
I feel so honoured that my film is being screened around the world and that it is inspiring people to care for all creatures and our environment. It is so cool that so many kids around the world are seeing my film :)

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I've always had a special affinity with nature, it's my happy place.
The Rock Pool Waltz is about my experience during the first COVID Lockdown. We were all disconnected from our friends and families, it was a strange time, so daily visits to our local rockpools helped to ease my worries and loneliness. And this led me to an amazing 5 month long friendship with a very cheeky octopus!
The footage my mum and I took during this time was just me doing what I love, connecting with nature and forming a special bond with an unlikely friend.
I decided to use the footage for my school project. I was quite overwhelmed at the impact it had on others, how it brought tears to many peoples eyes, and how people said it changed they way they felt about creatures.

I’ve always wanted to inspire people to love and respect our environment and the amazing creatures we share our world with.
Making this film has made me realise that film is a very powerful way to communicate, and it turns out that I’m not too bad at film making!
So I plan to continue film making and I could only hope to be as inspiring as David Attenborough, his work has given people a much greater appreciation for nature and our environment. It would be a dream to follow in his footsteps and make a difference for the worlds animals and our planet.