Member Sofi M shares her interpretation of the film Adra Ni Y Môr
As part of Clean Break's Film Festival 2024, we invited our Members to write about the films in our programme. A group of Members generously put themselves forward for the task, and have shared honest, heartfelt and insightful interpretations and reviews of the films.
Read what Sofi has to say about the film Adra Ni Y Môr (there are some spoilers in this article):
“The film is set in the context of the Welsh second homes crisis, and climate change driven coastal erosion, on the North Welsh Coast.”
Adra Ni Y Môr is an enchanting short film about a mother and her little girl. Due to outside circumstances, mother and daughter are living in a caravan on a hill overlooking the sea.
They lead a pure, simple existence, so it seems. The film opens with Lara (played by Mared Rees) and Magi (played by Marged Mair) playing on the beach. It is an intimate scene that shows the close loving bond between this mother and daughter duo.
I notice that Lara is protective of her daughter, encouraging creativity. Trying to give her daughter a lovely life, sprinkled with wonder and a hint of childlike magic.
Magi is always drawing or ‘colouring in.’ In one scene, Magi draws a colourful house for Lara. Magi shows Lara the drawing of the house and says: “I made you a magic wish.”
I admired the character Lara. Despite leading a difficult, isolated life in a caravan on a hill, and from what I could see in the film, no adult peer support. There was never any shouting or ranting at Magi - then blaming it on “stress” or “we are stuck in a caravan on the edge of a cliff - no home to call my own - why me!?”
Lara does everything she can to protect her daughter from the harsh realities of life. The struggle of not having secure accommodation, supportive family and friends, and all the stuff that a lot of people take for granted.
Lara is levelheaded and calm, and despite what is going on behind the scenes, she gets on with life.
Mared Rees and Marged Mair’s acting is so natural that I thought they could be mother and daughter in real life. They portrayed a loving close bond which was enchanting to watch. Especially the first scene, with just the two of them together on the empty beach, the sky overcast and grey.
The artistic choices in the film had a hypnotic, meditative effect on me. The music was ethereal and the sound choices were excellent. They captured the sound of the howling winds or subtle breeze and the waves swishing on the shore. I could feel myself being pulled in, entranced by the sound of the sea and its vastness. These techniques effectively created the cold, harsh world that these two were living in.
The filming location was beautiful, with a slight sense of danger to it. I loved the scenery, it had a calming effect on me. The shots of the waves and the sea, and long shots of the area felt immersive.
I noticed a subtle, childlike magical thread throughout the film, in various symbols. For example, at one point Lara stands in front of a large hill, which looks a bit like a mountain. In symbolism, a mountain can mean a block in someone’s path, or an implacable enemy.
I also wondered if the writer had purposely chosen the names of the characters for their meaning.
‘Lara’ comes from the word ‘Lares’ which refers to the Roman Gods who protected “home and field”. Or Larus, which is Latin for seagull.
‘Magi’, plural of 'Magus' - a priest sorcerer, is related to magic. I wondered if this subtle magic thread that I saw throughout the film was there intentionally.
This story subtly draws attention to some serious issues. Nefyn, Gwynedd is one of the areas in Wales hit by a housing crisis, fueled by second homes and holiday lets, which deprived the local people of access to affordable homes.
Once I was fired up by Lara and Magi’s story, ready for them to fight obstacles and opposition, the short film ended! What they have captured in 10 minutes is impressive, but there is a lot more to this story, a lot of important issues to draw people's attention to.
"No More Second Homes"
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