Summary

This impressionist hybrid documentary traces the oyster through its many life cycles in New York, once the world's oyster capital. Now their specter haunts the city through queer characters embodying ancient myth, discovering the overlooked history and biology of the bivalve that built the city. As environmentalists restore them to the harbor, Holding Back the Tide looks to the oyster as a queer icon, entangled with nature, with much to teach about our continued survival.