Add to your holiday watchlist and feel the pull of the tide from your sofa with these sea-themed blockbusters.
With The Salt Path hitting screens soon – bringing the windswept beauty of the South West Coast Path with it – there’s never been a better time to dive into films that take you to the coast. Whether you’re craving the salty air, planning your next seaside escape, or watching with waves just beyond your holiday doorstep, these ocean-inspired films capture the spirit of the sea.
From Cornish coves and wave-hewn Scottish islands, to eco-dramas set on the other side of the world, these movies will transport you to the beach and leave you craving more time by the sea.
The Salt Path (2025)
Starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, the true highlight of The Salt Path is the wild coastline of Southwest Britain. Following in the footsteps of Raynor Winn and her husband Moth, when they are displaced from their home, this is a story of hope, resilience and the transformative power of nature. Find out where to go set strolling on the UK coastline and stay in a coastal cottage on the edge of The Salt Path.
Fisherman’s Friends (2019) & Fisherman’s Friends: One and All (2022)
If you’ve never visited Port Isaac, Fisherman’s Friends will have you high-tailing to the North Cornwall coast to listen to sea shanties beside the harbour. Based on the true story of the Port Isaac sea shanty group who unexpectedly hit the charts, these feel-good films are steeped in community, charm and Cornish humour. With spectacular views of Port Isaac and the surrounding coastline, they’re love letters to the life and music of coastal Cornwall.
The Outrun (2024)
Raw, powerful and rooted in the wild Atlantic landscape, The Outrun will have you running to the Orkneys to escape and overcome any adversities using the balm of sea air and island life. Adapted from Amy Liptrot’s memoir, this deeply personal story of healing through wild swimming, seabirds and remote island life, follows a woman’s return to Orkney after addiction recovery.
Bait (2019)
See Cornwall from a different perspective in this BAFTA-nominated film. Friction between a local fisherman and holidaymakers ratchets up after his family home and boat are given over to the tourist trade. This tense, atmospheric film was captured in short bursts on a vintage camera using black and white film. Despite its eerie feel, the film offers a glimpse of the Cornish coast shot mainly in the traditional fishing village of Charlestown.
Blueback (2023)
Based on Tim Winton’s novel. this heartfelt eco-story from Australia’s coral coast follows a young girl’s bond with a wild blue groper and her journey into marine conservation. It’s a family-friendly tribute to our oceans, with stunning underwater cinematography and a strong environmental message. Gentle but moving.
The Big Blue (1988)
This Luc Besson film is a cult classic for divers and sea lovers. Following two childhood friends turned rival freedivers, this visually arresting movie plunges into the depths of the Mediterranean and beyond. With scenes shot in Greece, France and the Virgin Islands, it’s pure ocean escapism – surreal, stylish and sea-soaked – with atmospheric sea views above and below the surface.
Blue Juice (1995)
Cornwall’s answer to Point Break – with added 90s vibes – is a bit of a throwback. But for Cornwall lovers it’s a keeper. This surfy rom-com pits loyalty against ambition, all set around Cornwall’s golden beaches and granite coves. Featuring Mousehole, St Ives, Newquay and Chapel Porth – and starring Ewan McGregor, Sean Pertwee, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
The Surfer (2025)
This brooding psychological drama takes us to the other side of the world and the wild coastline of Western Australia. Here, a mysterious man (Nicolas Cage) confronts inner demons and powerful local forces when he returns to a remote beach, once the scene of his childhood trauma. Set against crashing waves and vast skies, brace yourself for tension, grit and hypnotic ocean cinematography.
The Light Between Oceans (2016)
Emotional and visually seductive, in The Light Between Oceans we are transported to the tip of New Zealand’s south island. Michael Fassbender is the lighthouse keeper who is joined in this remote outpost by his new wife, played by Alicia Vikander. Unable to have a child, the couple’s morality is challenged when a baby girl washes up on their shore.
The Endless Summer (1966)
This classic 1960s surf documentary follows a bunch of surfers around the world in their quest to find the perfect wave. In this odyssey, the surfers travel from one surf-blessed country to another to ride some of the world’s best waves in Hawaii, Australia, Ghana, New Zealand, Tahiti and South Africa. Whether you like surfing or not, you will be mesmerised by the waves in exotic locations around the globe.
On Chesil Beach (2018)
Adapted from Ian McEwan’s novel, this quiet but powerful drama unfolds on Dorset’s dramatic Chesil Beach. Capturing the beauty and isolation of England’s south coast – where emotions run as deep as the sea – it’s a coastal love story that will no doubt inspire you to walk the shingle shoreline accompanied only by the sound of the sea.
Ready, set, roll, on your next seaside holiday.
Book a coastal cottage where you can play your holiday watchlist and step into your own cinematic seaside experience.
