The Little Piratemaid

about

The Little Piratemaid is an animated short about what it takes to discover yourself as a trans person in a cis-normative world—even if that world is one of pirates and mermaids! This short film focuses on the initial stages of transition, the moments of realization, and the courage it takes for a little pirate girl to simply be herself.

The Little Piratemaid was Luke Beatrice’s senior thesis project at Lesley University. The original, super short version was released in film festivals in 2023. After graduation, Luke made the full, extended version (twice the length of the original) outside the confines of a school project. The new short was submitted to film festivals and won awards over the course of 2024 and 2025. Pride month 2026 marks The Little Piratemaid’s public release on YouTube.

credits

film by

luke beatrice

casting by

zack rocklin-waltch

>
music by

elias schwartzman

>
sfx by

epidemic sound

>

voice cast

pirate

rafi perez

>
mermaid

audrey forman

>

steena carey

>
captain

benton melbourne

>
sisters

brittany skyy

>

holland watkins

>

kennedy niyah hill

>
crew

estefan granucci

>

Michael macleod

>

special thanks

olivia strauss, jesse & dallas, mom & dad, zack rocklin-waltch

& lesley university animation 2023

concept art