Martin Freeman, Alexandra Shipp, Vincent Cassel, Jordan Peele, and Michael Caine
With more exciting films Executive Produced by Zoe Saldaña, Margot Robbie, Barry Keoghan, Idris Elba and Serena Williams
Hollywood, CA (August 15, 2026). WildKind is created, written and produced by Ciara Tinney and directed by John McDaid. The film has been selected as part of the Oscar and BAFTA qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival. As they celebrate their 22nd year. WildKind will be screened on Monday, August 17 at 12pm.
WildKind is based on the book WildKind by Ciara Tinney and produced by Dog Ears Animation Studio, Derry. The creators of the world renowned animation series Puffin Rock.
WildKind is a universal bedtime story, a poem painted to awaken the senses. Voiced by three generations of Ciara’s family, Ciara, her Mum Jo Tinney & daughters Adabelle, Fiadh Rós and Birdie Blue. We move from Daughter to Mother, to Grandmother, migrating through the ever-turning seasons of life. Forever guided by the warm familiar tones of our Mother Earth.
The black and white animation follows a Starling as she migrates through a watercolour Motherland. On a sensory journey of hope & healing, guided by the voice of Mother, Earth. And the sensory soundscape created by composer Robbie Boake, Ciara’s husband.
The dialogue was also recorded in Ciara’s Mother tongue, Irish. And again in Arabic, this time narrated by refuge seeking Mothers and their daughters from North Africa and the Middle East. The Mother tongue has an umbilical connection to the earth beneath our feet and by whispering our Mothers’ lost words to our daughters we reclaim lost paths and reconnect to the wild. No matter where we are born or where we now grow, we all put our children to bed in one language. A language of hope.
WildKind has been wonderfully received with almost 30 festival selections across the world, winning awards at Disappear Here in Donegal, Ireland, and Directors Choice in Sedona, Arizona.
HollyShorts is a respected Oscar-qualifying event, making it a key destination for filmmakers looking to make their mark at the highest level. The Oscar® and BAFTA qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival returns this summer for its 22nd edition, continuing its legacy as one of the world’s premier showcases for short-form cinema. Taking place from August 8–23, 2026, and screening at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatres in Los Angeles, this milestone year will feature a star-powered and diverse lineup, chosen from a record 7,500 submissions worldwide.
This year’s program includes high-profile entries from acclaimed talents whose work adds to the festival’s unique blend of Hollywood prestige and independent storytelling. Known for spotlighting rising filmmakers and innovative voices, HollyShorts continues to serve as a launchpad for the next wave of cinematic talent.
Celebrating over two decades of cinematic innovation, HollyShorts continues to champion bold, original storytelling and remains a vital force in the global short film community.
Credits.
Creator / Writer / Producer: Ciara Tinney.
Director: John McDaid.
Exec Producer: Fionnuala Deane.
Composer/Sound Design: Robbie Boake.
Animation: Morgane Tissier, Hugo McCrea, Jack Foley.
Production managers: Carrie Bonner, Eimear McGowan.
Voiceover Artists: Jo Tinney, Ciara Tinney, Adabelle Boake, Fiadh Rós Boake, Birdie Blue Boake.
Singing: Jo Tinney & Adabelle Boake.
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