Seagulls

Synopsis

"Seagulls" begins on the vibrant South African coast, where diverse families enjoy a holiday. Observant Naledi senses an unsettling anomaly in the ocean, while her brother Duke's mischief and Thorsten's frantic warnings create a critical distraction. A silent, impossible "wave" then abducts the entire campsite, leaving a global mystery on Earth. The abducted families awaken in a chillingly perfect replica of their campsite onboard an alien mothership. While the adults are subtly tranquilized by alien technology, the adaptable children, led by Naledi, begin to grasp their impossible reality. Their explorations lead to first contact with the bipedal, canine-like "working class" aliens, who reveal the ship's complex hierarchy and the true nature of their captors: water-based sextapods. The humans learn they are "specimens" on a multi-year journey to a galactic civilization, where humanity will be judged. The film culminates in humanity's first formal "judgment" by the sextapods. Through Naledi's growing understanding of alien communication and the collective human demonstration of resilience, ingenuity, and emotional depth, they make a compelling case for their species' value. While not granted immediate freedom, the humans achieve a hard-won new status quo on the mothership, transitioning from specimens to recognized entities with a degree of agency. The film concludes with the families united, facing a precarious but hopeful future aboard the alien vessel, having made their first stand for humanity's place in the cosmos.

Characters

Story World

The film opens in Cape Agulhas, South Africa, the continent's southernmost tip, where the warm Agulhas and cold Benguela currents collide. This rugged, beautiful coast, with its fynbos-covered dunes and milkwood trees, hosts a diverse holiday campsite – a microcosm of South African society.

The primary setting shifts to the alien mothership, specifically a colossal, rotating hold containing a chillingly perfect replica of the campsite. This simulated environment is unsettling in its flawless artificiality: an unnervingly consistent ocean swell, a sterile "sun-line" that lacks natural warmth, and camouflaged walls that, upon close inspection, reveal themselves as pixelated surfaces. This "diorama in a cosmic specimen jar" underscores the humans' new reality as collected data.

Tonal Blend

The tone of "Seagulls" is a compelling blend of suspense, wonder, and deep emotional resonance, exploring humanity's place in the universe.

The Vision

Inspiration

The project is fueled by Tracy Montague-Fryer's personal mixed South African heritage, aiming to subvert Western-centric sci-fi tropes by grounding a universal story in a uniquely African context. It explores themes of adaptability and resilience, particularly through the lens of childhood and the South African spirit of ubuntu.

Comparable Projects

Arrival (2016): For its thoughtful, character-driven approach to first contact.
District 9 (2009): For its groundbreaking use of South Africa as a sci-fi setting.
Stranger Things (TV): For its strong emphasis on children as protagonists.
The Martian (2015): For its focus on human ingenuity in extreme environments.

The Team

Tracy Montague-Fryer (Writer/Creator)

A white African of mixed descent, born in the West Indies and raised in South Africa. Her unique history informs the story's authenticity. A qualified teacher and seasoned executive search Partner, her network extends to national and international broadcasters, award-winning screenwriters, and producers.

Nadeema Jones (Contributing Writer)

A ‘coloured’ South African with Khoi, Scottish Peerage and Javanese Royalty in her line. She and Tracy have worked together for many years, and share an empathetic view on humanity that is deeply healing and humane.

When a South African coastal holiday turns into an impossible alien abduction, a group of diverse children must adapt to life aboard an interstellar vessel, unknowingly holding humanity's fate in their curious young hands.