As technology has gotten better, so has animation. There’s been many wonderful animated films throughout the past few decades, each boasting their own unique style, and Song of the Sea is no exception. This is a film that’s both beautiful and meaningful. So let’s talk about it.

Our story chronicles the adventures of Ben and Saoirse. The pair are living in a lighthouse with their father when Saoirse finds a mysterious cloak locked away in a chest. Not only does the discovery reveal secrets previously unknown to her about her origins but it also brings up painful memories for their father and causes Saoirse to become ill.

This is when their grandmother suggests that they should not be living in the lighthouse and takes them away to the city. It’s not long, however, before Saoirse attracts the attention of mythological beings who wish to use her abilities to free themselves.

Armed with only a conch to guide them and the desire to get back home before Saoirse’s sickness gets the best of her, the siblings journey across the city to find the answers they’ve been promised are out there.

The animation in this film is absolutely incredible. Cartoon Saloon’s animation style is unlike that of any other I’ve seen. It’s simplistic yet detail oriented. The character designs are minimalistic while the character’s expressions are nuanced and show a lot of depth.

This film utilizes Irish folklore to tell a story that is remarkably intimate. while there are greater things at stake the main focus is on Ben and Saoirse’s relationship as siblings and the film has overall themes of family, grief and acceptance.

Whether you’re looking for something to watch with your kids, or you’re just a fan of animation, you can’t go wrong with Song of the Sea.

Saoirse and Ben have a sibling relationship that is complex. As the older brother Ben should take care of his sister and prioritize her safety, however, he’s often shown ignoring her or treating her cruelly. This is due to what Ben seems to perceive as a serious wrong doing on his sister’s part. It’s never stated explicitly, but it’s clear he blames Saoirse for their mother disappearing. She is, after all, the only common denominator.

Ben’s misplaced feelings of blame lead Saoirse to adventure out on her own. She’s often shown to be curious about the world around her, going wherever her heart may take her. Mischief is what tends to follow, but as a selkie, that may just be her nature.

To quote irishmythologystories who wrote a piece on selkies in irish mythology.

This unwilful confinement is literalized by Ben’s leash which he uses on Saoirse at multiple points in the film to prevent her from leaving his side.

Their father, Conor, also plays a role in Saoirse’s confinement. At one point early in the film, he locks away her selkie coat in the chest she found it in and throws it in the sea along with the only key that can unlock it.

As a grieving father he has yet to realize that Saoirse needs her coat in order to be free and thinks he is doing what’s best for her, or perhaps more selfishly he’s trying to prevent her from leaving like her mother.

to quote irishmythologystories again.

This desire to do what’s best for those you love despite not truly understanding what’s best for them is a theme that pops up over and over throughout the film.

This is a film about many things, however, it’s first and foremost a story about family and our desire to help those we love in their times of need. We’re introduced to many characters throughout the movie, but one takes this concept to it’s most literal extreme.

Macha, the witch, takes away her son’s pain by removing his emotions, turning him to stone. She does this to many others as well. It’s only when Ben shows up to save his sister from her that she realizes the errors of her ways. In trying to remove everyone’s pain she didn’t allow them to grieve and accept.

When Saoirse finally gets her coat back she’s able to free everyone from their stone entrapment. This is also when we see her finally make the choice to fully embrace her human side.

I appreciate the film’s acknowledgement, in it’s themes, that the only way to truly help someone is to allow them to make the choice they believe is best for themselves and that trying to force them to do what you want will only result in conflict and pain.

Cementing yourself as one of the best animation studios in modern memory is no easy task, but Cartoon Saloon has demonstrated the hard work and talent necessary to make that claim.

The studio has been nominated for both Academy Awards and Golden Globes and has won multiple awards including BAFTAS and Emmy’s. If you’ve seen one of their films it’s easy to tell why.

The film maintains a simple style, while packing each frame with details. Every movement down to hair blowing in the wind is fluid. The characters are expressive even with their minimalistic character designs, and when the film really wants to cut loose it showcases some of the best visuals in modern animation.

This is easily one of the best animation studios operating today, but that’s not just my opinion. To quote from Indigo Music, who wrote about Cartoon Saloon’s animation.

I recommend reading their full piece for an in depth breakdown on Cartoon Saloon’s beautiful animation.

Not only is the film captivating visually but the story that it tells is important in many ways. The studio is clearly dedicated to creating art that resonates with it’s viewers and while the character writing is simple on it’s surface, it holds a lot of depth. This is an absolute must watch for those that love animation.

I’m gonna give this movie five selkie coats, all of which are being held captive by your crazy grandma and grieving father.

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading!!