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 Richest Woman in the World
Isabelle Huppert plays cosmetics CEO Marianne in this teasingly ambivalent satire inspired by the Bettancourt Affair, when L'Oreal heir Francoise Bettancourt scandalized France by frittering away her fortune on a notorious celebrity photographer.
Departures
Two lads meet at an airport gate and begin monthly trips to Amsterdam together. Their chemistry is off the charts, but it's Jake who's calls the shots while Benji is the one who's emotionally invested. Comparisons to Pillion and Trainspotting are on mark.
The Python Hunt
Strange but true: the Florida Everglades are overrun with unwanted visitors. Not tourists, but invasive Burmese pythons decimating the local critters. The state's solution: an annual contest: $10 000 to whomever bags the most snakes in ten days.
Mistura
This foodie film from Peru tells the story of a newly single socialite reinventing herself — and the local cuisine — after her husband has left her for a younger woman. Along the way, she finds support from unexpected places...
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.