Rory Kinnear (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, James Bond series) and Maria Bakalova (The Apprentice, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) star in director Rebekah Fortune's film 'Learning to Breathe Under Water'. However, the real star of the film is young Ezra Carlisle (Dalgliesh), who plays the eight-year-old character Leo. The film will have its world premiere on July 7 as part of the Special Screenings program at the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Leo's mother has been missing for five years, and the reasons for this are initially unclear. Leo's best friend is a giant shark built on the roof of their home by his artist father (Kinnear). Leo confides his secrets to this shark as he tries to make sense of a complex world. However, everything changes when a cheerful and energetic caregiver, Anya (Bakalova), enters their lives. Anya's endless questions disrupt the silence, and her answers are quite candid and honest. Her boundless energy and warmth bring color to Leo and his father's lives, pushing them to step out of their comfort zones, which are mostly in their heads.

The KVIFF website promises viewers a "fascinating film for parents and children." The film explores themes such as how to communicate together, how to grieve together, how the adult world can sometimes be hard to understand, and the importance of taking children's perspectives seriously. Most importantly, it focuses on learning how to breathe again.

The film 'Learning to Breathe Under Water' was shot in Galway, Ireland, with cinematography by Richard Kendrick. The producers include Jack Tarling (Kneecap) and Patrick O'Neill. Bankside Films is handling the film's sales.