I've Heard the Mermaids Singing

About

I've Heard the Mermaids Singing is a whimsical, formally inventive Canadian comedy-drama that explores artistic aspiration, loneliness, and the tension between imagination and reality. The film follows Polly Vandersma, an awkward and imaginative temporary secretary working for a sophisticated art gallery director, Gabrielle. Through Polly's voice-over narration and her fascination with photography, the film reveals her idiosyncratic perception of the world, where ordinary experiences acquire a poetic and sometimes fantastical dimension. As Polly becomes increasingly entangled in the gallery's professional and personal relationships, the boundaries between artistic authenticity, ambition, and deception begin to blur. Combining deadpan humor, dreamlike imagery, and an unconventional narrative structure, Rozema's debut feature offers a sensitive exploration of marginality, creativity, and the search for belonging. Its international success, including the Prix de la Jeunesse at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival, established Rozema as a distinctive voice in Canadian independent cinema and a key figure associated with the Toronto New Wave.

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