'Water Meadow' Review: Survival Beneath the Surface
- Romey Norton
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Romey Norton - December 15, 2025
Written and produced by Sam Roleandts, this Fourth Key Production film is one to have on your watchlist. For a 12-minute short film, Water Meadow is extremely well-polished. From the camera, to sound, and props. And the stunts were something you’d expect to see from a Hollywood blockbuster. The story follows two sisters (Marina Bye and Olivia Churchill) who make the tough decision to cross a water meadow (small lake) during an apocalypse. After an attack, difficult choices have to be made.
The film begins with an excellent, intense chase-and-fight section that really throws the audience into the danger of this apocalyptic world. Then the pace slows down and stays fairly still until the end. Whilst the acting was strong from both our leads, I wasn’t invested enough for the emotional impact that I believe was intended. What was missing was a tenderness between the sisters. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have their shining moments individually - because they do - but together, the emotion lacked. Maybe this is to emphasise independence and having to depend on yourself during times of chaos and uncertainty.
The script is careful and creative, with a great show-don’t-tell aspect (as all good scripts should). The themes are ones we’ve seen before, exploring how people are just as threatening as a virus/infected person in an apocalypse, but the film still manages to feel fresh, offering a taste of a genre audiences can't get enough of.
The part with the zombie in the lake was fantastic, and I was lucky enough to speak to the DP and producer about how they worked with the camera in the water to achieve this realism. There’s so much magic that goes on behind the scenes, it really does make you appreciate the industry as a whole, as it’s such a collaborative experience. The zombie's make-up was also extremely well done, and believable, and when someone is infected, the details in the eyes in a close-up were very effective.
A nice, well-rounded ending, you’re left asking what’s next in a world that can’t give you answers. Overall, Water Meadow is a punchy short with subtle themes of identity, crisis, and sisterly love. With audiences wanting more short bursts of entertainment, short films are on the rise, and Water Meadow is a must-watch for fans of dystopian and independent cinema.
Water Meadow will be hitting the festival circuit in 2026
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