THE SEATTLE FILM FESTIVAL 2026 REVIEW! Baby Sea Turtle is written, directed, produced, and starring Natalie Gonzalez. Co-directed by Jeremiah Alexander, the short begins with a husband and wife driving to the woods. During the drive, the wife, Addison (Gonzalez), lists everything she hates about her partner, Bill (Riley Samuel). But once in the woods, the two frolic and race to their picnic spot. But Addison’s irritation begins again, and that’s when she reveals the only way Bill can make her feel alive.
Gonzalez’s debut as a screenwriter and director is a lot of fun. Her opening voice-over sets the comedic tone well, while the close-ups of each perceived imperfection of Bill’s highlight why they annoy so much. She and Alexander maintain a good pace, with only a brief moment of seriousness entering the fray. The latter portion of the story is still amusing but also lets the horror simmer naturally.
Addison swings an axe with a gleeful grin in the woods in Baby Sea Turtle.
“…once in the woods, the two frolic and race to their picnic spot. But Addison’s irritation begins again, and that’s when she reveals the only way Bill can make her feel alive.”
Samuel is good as the hapless dolt of a husband. He seems to want to try to be a better significant other. But this is the Gonzalez show, and she gets to go through almost every emotion. Happily, she nails it, proving to be a spirited bit of crazy on screen.
Baby Sea Turtle may only be 7 minutes and 30 seconds long, but it packs in a good amount of fun into that timeframe. The humor always lands, delivered with excellent timing by the young star. The horror feels real, as Samuel seems to be genuinely afraid of what’s going on. This is a strong debut for an engaging independent filmmaker.
Baby Sea Turtle screened at the 2026 The Seattle Film Festival.
"…a good amount of fun..."
