My Brother is a Mermaid is a social realist fairytale about a transgender teenager, as seen through the eyes of their 7 year old brother. Set in a desolate and prejudiced coastal town, the film examines how a child's unconditional love can be an empowering and disruptive force for good.

 

The film was BAFTA long-listed after it premiered at the BAFTA qualifying Iris Prize Film Festival, where it won Best British Short Film, the Audience Award and the Youth Jury Award with a £20,000 post-production package at Pinewood Studios. The film went on to win the main prize at the BAFTA qualifying Norwich Film Festival, received a Special Mention at Academy Qualifying Flickerfest, and won Best Short at The Casting Director’s Association Awards. The film received nominations at over 15 other BAFTA/Academy qualifying festivals, and played at over 50 other festivals globally, picking up several more awards, before being picked up online by Director’s Notes and Omeleto. 

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Little White Lies Magazine - "Alfie Dale’s endearing effort in magic realism earned the unprecedented honour of scooping the Best British Short prize alongside the category’s audience and youth jury awards. That triple-crown glory is an apt indication of this sensitive portrait’s likely crossover appeal: a tender outlook on childhood innocence and unconditional love, it’s told from the perspective of a seven year old as his older sibling comes out as transgender. Experienced in the depiction of marginalised communities from a prior short set among the Roma community, Dale – himself cis – took care to cast a trans actor in the lead role and worked extensively with charity Mermaids to ensure a faithful portrait of trans youth experience. The result is a gorgeous short as steadfast in its representative resolve as it is singular in its empathetic importance".​

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Iris Prize Jury Statement - "Alfie Dale directs a remarkable cast who convey a beautiful blend of emotions. The viewer is pulled into the intimate world of Kuda, who watches as his sibling Kai journeys through finding the confidence to embrace their non-binary identity. Alfie’s direction is sensitive and compassionate, pulling at the heartstrings without ever being overly sentimental. He takes us on a journey of character growth and development across twenty minutes that more accomplished directors too often fail to do in two hours. Quite simply, outstanding".

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Flickerfest Jury Statement - "This beautiful short film tells us a story about the magic of sibling intimacy in a hostile world. All the judges agreed that the performances by the younger actors were outstanding. The directors use of the younger siblings POV was an innovative way to tell a story about a gender diverse older sibling. The subtle references to magic realism put queer identities in the realm of the uncanny".

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