Moon and the Dolphin

Synopsis:

Set on the Cornish coast in the 1920s, Michael Morpurgo’s Moon and the Dolphin follows Moon, a ten‑year‑old boy with Down’s syndrome who is shunned by a fearful fishing village. At the water’s edge he discovers an unexpected ally—a wild dolphin that returns, day after day, to swim alongside him. As the seasons turn, the bond between boy and animal restores Moon’s confidence, unsettles village prejudice, and draws the attention of the lighthouse keeper who narrates the tale. A series of quiet revelations leads to a moving father‑and‑son story, in which kindness and courage outshine cruelty. A 30‑minute holiday special —tender, lyrical, and full of sea‑light.

The story is told through the eyes of the lighthouse keeper, to be played by Liam Neeson, who also joins as an executive producer alongside Sally Phillips—whose BBC documentary “A World Without Down’s?” explored life with her son Olly. Our animation director is award‑winning filmmaker Jason Carpenter, whose work on The Biggest Little Farm received an Oscar nomination, while in 2017 he won an Emmy for My Name is Malala.

John Hay has written the screenplay with Rik Carmichael adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s book which will be published by HarperCollins. The music will be composed by David Arnold, who has scored five Bond films. The film will be Executive Produced by Joy Moore.