Far from Water (2024)

👉Full movie at end of the post

Far From Water is a tender and visually poetic short by Josh Cox that follows two young friends—played by Jarid Dominguez and Lucas Nealon—as they seek solace on an isolated beach. Amidst rolling dunes, they pause by the crashing waves, reveling in the beauty of the moment. The natural landscape mirrors their emotional states, with soft daylight gradually giving way to dusk .

Their playful banter and shared laughter soon deepen into a charged moment of physical intimacy. In a beautifully shot sequence, they kiss and touch, briefly transcending friendship. The film’s close-up, slow-motion cinematography and sparse dialogue amplify this moment’s emotional weight—conveying a lifetime of feeling in just a few minutes .

As night falls, the two lie together, gravity and reality slowly returning. The magical tension dissolves into a quiet question: did it mean something more? One of them asks the other if the experience signifies change or if it was fleeting—highlighting the uncertainty of young longing and the vulnerability in acknowledging desire .

Despite its brief runtime—under five minutes—the film lingers emotionally, creating what critics describe as a "lush and exquisite memory," akin to lingering in a dream that feels eternal . Rich imagery, soft light, and intimate sound design blur the line between fleeting passion and lasting connection.

In the end, Far From Water leaves viewers suspended in that euphoric in-between, capturing the fragile beauty of a first, unspoken moment of love—or something like it. With minimalistic dialogue and potent visuals, it’s a poignant reflection on youth, desire, and the possibility of something more in a singular, unforgettable encounter.