Huw Wahl’s documentary love letter to engineless sailing, WIND, TIDE & OAR, is set for release in the UK and Ireland on Friday 25th April.
Wind, Tide & Oar is a compelling exploration of engineless sailing, shot on analogue film over three years. The film delves into the experiences of those who travel solely by harnessing the natural elements alone, following a diverse array of traditional boats and uncovering the unique rhythms and motivations of engineless navigation.
Journeying through rivers, coastlines, and open seas, spanning the UK, the Netherlands, and France, Wind, Tide & Oar creates a contemplative space, addressing themes of ecology, heritage, traditional skills, and maritime history. Using a 1960s hand-wound camera, Wahl offers a poetic and intimate perspective on a millennia-old craft, upended by the invention of mechanised power.
Wind, Tide & Oar is released in UK and Irish cinemas by distribution and exhibition agency Tull Stories, following a string of sold-out winter previews of the film around the UK. The film came about when Huw was introduced to the world of sailing by his sister Rose Ravetz, who, aged nineteen and with no prior experience set off to work her way around the world’s oceans on various vessels, from shabby 34ft boats to super yachts owned by millionaires. She returned four years later changed by this rite of passage and sowed the seeds of adventure within Huw via her dedication to travel on the water engineless in her own vessel. Rose is also co-producer of the film.
Wind, Tide & Oar is the first documentary film to explore the art of engineless sailing. Earlier in 2024 it received its premiere at Royal Museums Greenwich and had a unique preview tour around the Southeast coast: on the iconic Thames sailing barge Blue Mermaid, crewed by young sail trainees. It is created alongside an accompanying book of the same name, published by The New Menard Press.
Huw Wahl says:
"I am overjoyed that Tull Stories will take Wind, Tide & Oar to audiences across the UK. People have reacted incredibly positively to the film so far, and I'd always hoped that its screening journey would extend to a cinema release. Rose and I are very excited to continue the conversations prompted by the film about the ways in which we connect to and work with the natural world around us. We are very much looking forward to getting the film out there!”
Jonny Tull of Tull Stories, says:
“I’m delighted to get to collaborate with Huw and Rose closely on the release of this beautiful film. Huw has a wonderful cinematic voice, and Tull Stories champions the work of unique and talented risk-taking filmmakers like him. Wind, Tide & Oar is an ode to taking a moment out of our busy lives, and I can’t think of a more fitting experience to enjoy in a cinema."
Wind, Tide & Oar will be released by Tull Stories in the UK and Ireland from Friday 25th April 2025.
Source: Press release
Information on the release can be found at: https://tullstories.co.uk/films/wind-tide-oar-in-cinemas-spring-2025/
Wind Tide & Oar official website: https://www.windtideandoar.com
UK cinema release trailer (YouTube): https://youtu.be/0btb5RunIWA
