Synopsis
Gloria, an aspiring painter, drives on an empty tank. Under her skin something bothers her. Hands steadfast at the wheel, refusing to fill up, she tempts fate. Colliding with unspoken grievances she must reframe herself amongst missing paintings.
FESTIVALS
2024
Ariano International Film Festival
2024
20minmax Kurzfilmtage
2024
L’Europe autour de l’Europe
2023
Flickerfest International Short Film Festival
CAST
ELOÏSE MIGNON
ROBYN NEVIN
CREW
Written, Directed & Edited by James Menelaus Rush
Cinematography - Charles Alexander
Production Design - Angelica Rush
Costume Design - Alice Wilson
Sound Designer - Bojan Palikuca
Producers - Monique Fisher, Patrick Verlin, Aarushi Chowdhury, James Menelaus Rush, London Film School
1st AD - Matty Barker
Script supervisor - Paige Gibson
Gaffer - Alec Barnett
First AC - Oliver Gross
2nd AC - Tommy Le , Tom Armour
Grip - Juan Gonzales Gobo
Best Boy - @brydon.mp4
Props Standby and Graphic design - Callum Dempsey
Stills Photography: Willy Law
Art assist - Juliette Whitney
Sound recordist - Bruce Armstrong
Sound Edit & Mix - Angus Davidson
Covid safety - Tom Armour , Michael Nikou
Production Assistants - Vicki Oneill, Michael Demarco, William Kennish
Additional AD - Gabriel Carrubba
Safety Officer - Angus Beattie.
Colourist - Daniel Stonehouse (Crayon)
Casting - NorthSide Casting
Directors Statement
Why do people so often allow the avoidance of dealing with a
perceived problem to become bigger than the problem itself?
When rifts and chasms of anger, hurt and confusion
are ignored and left to seal themselves over, what
sort of relationship can grow from that soil?
Who would choose to leave this world in such a terrible
isolation? Perhaps there are those who would. But why
should anyone make the choice for another person?
C
Framed to act as a mirror for its audiences the images and performances of lacerate have been conjured in a way that encourages the viewer to imbue part of themselves and their own relationships into their reasoning of the dynamics at play within the film.
Through denying certain insights into the specific history of the two characters (the respective emotional incisions each bear) there is a focus placed on the elemental behaviours at play. The viewer (and Gloria) must search the images that are in-front of them, and within themselves, for a sense of understanding. In doing so certain emotional truths are perhaps allowed to arise, on screen and off, in a unique manner.
Time is used to prolong the reality of moments and thoughts, to allow both Gloria and the viewer space to question themselves, to reach their own conclusions. Distance, ambiguity and silence work in unison to foster a certain tension, a certain psychological environment. One that encourages individual acts of self-reflection.
We were interested in making a film focussed more on questions rather than answers. There are only but a few key on screen certainties. As Gloria looks into the mirror of her mother it seems she is wading through and weighing doubts and beliefs - trying to piece together what she thinks her truth is - who does she want to be?