World Premiere
On a clandestine date, a 40-something woman battling with her identity embarks on a journey of rediscovery that she cannot ignore nor fully encompass. This is a wonderful two-hander about courage and suppressed lesbian desire, a night to explore this other sexual orientation kept hidden for many years. It’s a thought-provoking story about life-changing choices as the characters unravel themselves, enhanced by incredibly strong writing that gives the actors a stage to shine on, and a complex lead performance which is where most of the dynamic and focus is. The film beautifully captures her conflicted state as her unhappy current life collides with the possibilities of the future.
Community Partner
Michelle Darkin Price, Adaya Henry, Daniel Poppitt
UK
2022
English
Featured in:
International Shorts: Connect/Disconnect/Reconnect
The films in this shorts program are all about connections. People connecting with one another, dealing with change, or rediscovering a part of themselves and their past.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
The Choral
Yorkshire, 1916. Dr Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes) is entrusted with the role of chorus master — despite his suspicious ties with Germany. As conscription papers arrive, the community is thrown into chaos, but music proves a worthy distraction.
The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes
A beautiful portrait of E.J. Hughes, who quietly helped reshape the artistic landscape of British Columbia in the 20th century. This extraordinary documentary explores Hughes’s legacy not only as an artist, but as a devoted, humble human being.
Sirât
A desperate father (Sergi Lopez) searchers for his missing daughter through the spiritual wasteland of the Moroccan desert. An unforgettable sensory powerhouse, Sîrat will have you riveted and rattled for hours after the end credits have rolled.
2026 Oscar® Shorts (Documentary)
Don't come to the program of Oscar®-nominated documentary shorts for escapism. But let's talk about the Canadian contender, Perfectly a Strangeness, featuring an abandoned observatory and three donkeys. More of this, please.
Credits
Executive Producer
Alexzandra Jackson
Producer
Charlie Clarke, Katie Smith
Screenwriter
Tommy Draper, Z. Igbe
Cinematography
Luke J. Collins
Editor
Emmalie El Fadli
Production Design
Danni Ebanks-Ingram
Original Music
Joni Fuller
Director
Sophie Black
Sophie Black has directed nine award-winning short films, including Night Owls (2016), which premiered at London Short Film Festival, and Songbird (2018). She was part of the BFI NETWORK x BAFTA Crew in both 2018 and 2019, and is a member of Directors UK. Black is also the founder of Triskelle Pictures, with credits including Stop/Eject (2014), which premiered at Raindance Film Festival before being longlisted for Best British Short Film at the 2015 BAFTAs.