The story follows a girl who decides to try to end her life by drowning herself in her bathtub. She shares parts of her life that are giving her anxiety and causing stress. There is a scene, after she tries to drown, in which she sees her future self, which causes her to snap out of it and get out of the bathtub. She talks to her parents about everything that has been going on in her head, and shares a powerful message.
The film, made by a high school student, is very relatable and easy to follow. The girl's thoughts and emotions feel realistic and connected to everyday life, which makes it easy to understand what she is going through. The plot develops in a logical way with each scene clearly leading to the next. The camera work is meaningful and well done. There are numerous shots, such as the ending in the mirror, that emphasize how she is hiding her true emotions behind a forced appearance of happiness, making her seem emotionally distant and disconnected from herself. The transition from her lying in the bathtub to her lying on the beach impresses me as well. She tries to escape reality, and then makes an important decision involving her will to live. Additionally, the extreme close-ups focusing on her face and hands capture her emotional suffering by forcing the audience to notice every small expression and movement, making her anxiety, sadness, and vulnerability feel more personal and intense.
Aanya Hirani gives an amazing performance portraying a teenage girl with troubling thoughts. Her acting comes across as very natural and realistic, which helps us connect with her struggles on a deeper level. Even during quieter scenes, her facial expressions and body language show feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. The parents have minimal screen time, but their roles contribute strongly to the film's message by showing the lack of communication and emotional understanding within the family, which adds to the main character's sense of isolation. The bits and pieces of melancholy background music enhance each scene and strengthen the emotional thoughts of the young girl. The soft and emotional music helps create a sad and reflective mood, allowing the audience to better understand her loneliness, anxiety, and inner struggles. It also makes the scenes feel more personal and intimate, almost as if the viewer is experiencing her thoughts alongside her. The music works together with the visuals and dialogue to emphasize the emotional weight of the film and deepen the audience's connection to the character. Sixteen-year-old Ilann Doshi is the writer, director, cinematographer and editor of this film. He has created a powerful film, truly capturing the emotions of this young woman, from the script to the camera work to the background music and sounds - which are hauntingly intertwined. The film flows seamlessly from scene to scene; every line in the girl's internal speech depicts the emotions and tone of this moment, making the story emotionally powerful. The camera angles also enhance the vulnerability and emotional distress of the protagonist by focusing closely on her expressions and isolating her within certain shots, sometimes with the use of silence, which also helps the audience feel her loneliness and emotional pressure. The combination of strong directing, meaningful monologue, and thoughtful cinematography makes the film feel very personal and impactful. My favorite part is the ending scene where she paints a smile on the mirror to cover her face. The shot is very smooth and powerfully captures how she truly feels emotionally. By covering her reflection with a fake smile, a smiley face, the scene symbolizes how she hides her pain and pretends to be okay on the outside while struggling internally. The camera focusing on the lipstick-painted face while blurring her face reflection in the background further emphasizes her emotional disconnect and loss of identity, making the moment feel impactful and memorable.
The film's message is that you are more than your current pain. There is an incredible amount of life, beauty, and possibility awaiting you, even if you cannot see it in the moment. It shows kids doing risky things that kids might imitate; a girl tries to drown herself in her bathtub.
I give this film 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. By Neo M., KIDS FIRST!
The story follows a girl who decides to try to end her life by drowning herself in her bathtub. She shares parts of her life that are giving her anxiety and causing stress. There is a scene, after she tries to drown, in which she sees her future self, which causes her to snap out of it and get out of the bathtub. She talks to her parents about everything that has been going on in her head, and shares a powerful message.
The film, made by a high school student, is very relatable and easy to follow. The girl's thoughts and emotions feel realistic and connected to everyday life, which makes it easy to understand what she is going through. The plot develops in a logical way with each scene clearly leading to the next. The camera work is meaningful and well done. There are numerous shots, such as the ending in the mirror, that emphasize how she is hiding her true emotions behind a forced appearance of happiness, making her seem emotionally distant and disconnected from herself. The transition from her lying in the bathtub to her lying on the beach impresses me as well. She tries to escape reality, and then makes an important decision involving her will to live. Additionally, the extreme close-ups focusing on her face and hands capture her emotional suffering by forcing the audience to notice every small expression and movement, making her anxiety, sadness, and vulnerability feel more personal and intense.
Aanya Hirani gives an amazing performance portraying a teenage girl with troubling thoughts. Her acting comes across as very natural and realistic, which helps us connect with her struggles on a deeper level. Even during quieter scenes, her facial expressions and body language show feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion. The parents have minimal screen time, but their roles contribute strongly to the film's message by showing the lack of communication and emotional understanding within the family, which adds to the main character's sense of isolation. The bits and pieces of melancholy background music enhance each scene and strengthen the emotional thoughts of the young girl. The soft and emotional music helps create a sad and reflective mood, allowing the audience to better understand her loneliness, anxiety, and inner struggles. It also makes the scenes feel more personal and intimate, almost as if the viewer is experiencing her thoughts alongside her. The music works together with the visuals and dialogue to emphasize the emotional weight of the film and deepen the audience's connection to the character. Sixteen-year-old Ilann Doshi is the writer, director, cinematographer and editor of this film. He has created a powerful film, truly capturing the emotions of this young woman, from the script to the camera work to the background music and sounds - which are hauntingly intertwined. The film flows seamlessly from scene to scene; every line in the girl's internal speech depicts the emotions and tone of this moment, making the story emotionally powerful. The camera angles also enhance the vulnerability and emotional distress of the protagonist by focusing closely on her expressions and isolating her within certain shots, sometimes with the use of silence, which also helps the audience feel her loneliness and emotional pressure. The combination of strong directing, meaningful monologue, and thoughtful cinematography makes the film feel very personal and impactful. My favorite part is the ending scene where she paints a smile on the mirror to cover her face. The shot is very smooth and powerfully captures how she truly feels emotionally. By covering her reflection with a fake smile, a smiley face, the scene symbolizes how she hides her pain and pretends to be okay on the outside while struggling internally. The camera focusing on the lipstick-painted face while blurring her face reflection in the background further emphasizes her emotional disconnect and loss of identity, making the moment feel impactful and memorable.
The film's message is that you are more than your current pain. There is an incredible amount of life, beauty, and possibility awaiting you, even if you cannot see it in the moment. It shows kids doing risky things that kids might imitate; a girl tries to drown herself in her bathtub.
I give this film 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. By Neo M., KIDS FIRST!
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