In the heart of Durham, a band of volunteers led by Caris Rhianne Williams have just concluded their 4th annual Women X film festival. Dedicated to the work of female and non-binary voices, the team screened over 50 short films at the Darlington Hippodrome with many available through their online portal. The following is a selection of reviews from this year’s programme, divided into their respective categories
SERIES: The Motherload - Centering on the many aspects motherhood
CERES (dir. Amelia Sears)
A woman in an abusive relationship takes refuge with her mother in a story that is simply told, yet beautiful. Whilst the mother disapproves of the relationship, it’s clear that the daughter is waiting for her partner to find her but neither wants to speak about it. It’s in the few moments lacking dialogue where their relationship seems to progress furthest, as indeed so much affection can be displayed in the simplest of acts. It’s an unspoken longing for more, made painful by the knowledge that it may not last long.
MY DEAR SON (dir. Lilian Fu)
A woman gives birth to a cat that she desperately longs to change into a human in this tale as surreal as its animation. Crafted out of various picture clippings, it gives the feel of a collage come to life, giving the humans of the story a Picasso-esque look that makes you wonder if this is truly a decent society. Ultimately it’s a story about the desire to fit in, how far you’d be willing to go to achieve that goal, and the damage that doing so can cause even if it seems to be for the best.
SALT WOUNDS (Dir. Hannah Renton)
A woman reluctantly looks after her equally hesitant elderly mother after a fall leaves her frail in this story about caring for loved ones even when it’s difficult. It’s clear that the two have a strained relationship, even leading to an emotional and violent outburst, but the mother-daughter bond is stronger than that. If the circumstances are right, there’s always room left for love and forgiveness.
BIRDS (Dir. Tyro Heath)
A mother attempts to purchase a leotard for her 9-year old daughter whilst keeping her imprisonment a secret from her in this really sweet tale inspired by true events. It’s a testament to the lengths that mothers are willing to go through and the painful truths that they feel like they have to hide in order to keep up appearances.
SERIES: Searching For Connection - About forming and losing attachments
FIFTY-FOUR DAYS (Dirs. Cat White, Phoebe Torrance)
A Young woman forms a bond with an older lady as she swims in a lake every day for 54 days to cope with her father’s suicide in this heartwarming tale of grief. She feels like the only person in her family who wants to talk about what’s happened with her mother and brother, seemingly quiet about the situation. However it is ultimately revealed that they have been coping in their own ways. The idea that there is no wrong way to grieve is an important one, and one worth sharing to avoid a sense of shame in “not grieving properly” or to dispel the idea that anyone grieves alone.
SERIES: Conversation Starters - A collection that does what it says on the tin
VIRÁGOM, VIRÁGOM (Dir. Anna Jarai)
Footage old and new of folk communities literally overlap in this profound celebration of heritage. Displayed against a backdrop of music from the culture, it’s a marvelous example of how to celebrate where you come from, invoking the very vibe of the culture itself. It’s a unique, extraordinary experience.
HÁLDI (Dir. Ann Holmgren)
This Sami short film is only a few minutes long and has a certain intense air about it. Sami music plays as the camera pans from a lake to a group of Sami women, taking time to rest on their eyes, before returning to the water. It feels oddly defiant, like a statement that these women are here, that they belong, and that they will not be moved.
(R)AGE (Dir. Lydia Jenkins)
An analogy for growing up when you don’t want to, this shortest of shorts is mildly gross and a little bit scary with remarkable set design. A young woman at a birthday party ferociously demolishes her cake which includes entrails on a table laden with confectionery like a cupcake with a tampon in it. The term “like a brick to the face” may be overused but this short is too powerful to describe it as anything else.
THE MANY FACES OF AVA (Dir. Izabela Barszcz)
A young woman morphs her face to fit social interactions throughout her day in this excellent 2D animated tale. It doesn’t just dive into the effect that having to adapt your personality for those around you can have but also how and why we come to learn to do it in the first place. Sometimes it’s a larger traumatic event but so often, as demonstrated here, it’s in the smaller day-to-day events like a desire to fit in at work or with peers. The short shows that this can also be an issue for men, because it’s an issue for everyone despite that not needing to be the case.
THE MICROCOSM (Dir. Joe Ingham)
This reading of the 1966 piece by Maureen Duffy accompanied by relevant visuals is engaging and powerful. Delving into whether gay bars really offer much sanctuary to those who use it at a time where male homosexuality was illegal and female homosexuality frowned upon, it would be nice to feel that it exists in stark contrast to today’s world. However, despite the progress, it’s still relevant - a discussion of safety and spaces that should be safe.
THE WITCHING (Dir. Lucy Chappell)
A witch laments for her ex-lover in this atmospheric piece with a soliloquy that’s been wonderfully crafted by the writer/director/producer. [WX Awards Winner: Best Editing for Lucy Chappell]
A TELEVISION BROADCAST FROM OUTER SPACE (Dirs. Mo Bayliss, Steph Leigh)
An Orsen Welles-a-like presents fragments of the last 24 hours of TV from an alternate Earth that was consumed by natural disaster in this amusing yet serious warning about consumerism and climate change. It is, of course, frustratingly close to our actual reality where capitalism pulls focus away from the fight that truly matters and is happening right under our noses. The news segment where a genuine expert is ignored to make way for a small birthday celebration is particularly harrowing. [WX Awards Winner: Best Writer for Mo & Steph]
SERIES: Hell Is A Teenage Girl - Focused on the complexity of female adolescence
LIAR (Dir. Lottie Graham)
A schoolgirl makes up stories about her family for her friends to distract from her upsetting reality in this tale about the lies we tell ourselves to cope. At such a young age, it’s easy to believe that our problems are our own, that those around us wouldn’t understand, and that we always have to be ok but learning to let go of that can be beneficial even if it’s difficult.
BARRICADE (Dir. Alice Johannessen)
A schoolgirl instigates a moment of joyous rebellion after a boy flashes her on the school bus in a story that speaks to the best of humanity. Having been harassed, she sees him do the same to a fellow classmate and the two girls become friends, providing a brief moment of levity from the seriousness of their situation and inspiring a moment of solidarity with the entire class. Even if it is only fictional, it provides a glimmer of hope that smaller moments of triumph can be executed when dealing with perversion. [WX Awards Winner: Best Producer for Molly Young ]
PRAWN (Dir. Ella Maree Carey)
A schoolgirl has her innocence stolen at a dance by a boy she dislikes in this tale about the awful things that can happen and the power of controlling your own narrative. Having arrived back at school, she is called names and stared at constantly before a fight between two other girls begins, making way for the newest event in a never-ending cycle of school “drama”. It’s a truth that what may be this morning’s news may not be tomorrow’s and that awful things happen at that age (and any age) but society moves on and we don’t have to let one event define us.
CANBERRA, BITCH (Dir. Alicja Jankowska)
3 friends give a self-entitled guy his comeuppance at a pub quiz in this delightful short that ends with an entertaining fist fight. Many blows are thrown but none physically land in this battle that would be right at home with cheesy 1970’s martial arts movies or the 1960’s Batman TV show, but it’s also an insight into female solidarity in the face of arrogant men.
ALL GIRLS (Dir. Anastasia Bruce-Jones)
Four young women embark on a mission to hike a certain route in 24 hours by any means necessary in this tense story that ends with a sense of something akin to joy. Their leader is more determined than the rest, forcing them to skip food and sleep and ultimately makes the ultimate sacrifice for them to succeed in what is technically a decent act of leadership. One should never do something they wouldn’t expect the rest of the team to do but for a hike, it’s a bit intense. [WX Awards Winner: Best Director for Anastasia Bruce Jones]
Words: Beatrice Copland (she/they)
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