The film locates itself in nineteenth-century England, where the sexism and other restrictive social norms of the Victorian era ensure that women’s potential and intelligence are dismissed with casual indifference and misogyny. The woman the narrative engages with is Ada Byron Lovelace, the mathematician known for writing what is considered the first-ever computer program. 

The performances and world-building both are achieved with seamlessness to bring this reality from two centuries ago to life. It tells an important, often overlooked story of a woman’s seminal role in the world of technological advancements and does so with an unforgettable protagonist. 
Through Ada’s drive and relentless perseverance, even in the face of terminal illness and imminent death, the film shares a compelling piece of history. The end result, though not entirely seamless in narratorial progression, presents a story marked by skill and earnestness, and one that expertly conveys everything that it had set out to.

Ada | Spotlight

The film opens on a quiet note of a calm voice-over weaved with a blank background. This, in no, way prepares you for the events that are about to unfold, deliberately taking you in a direction opposite to what may have been assumed so far. When a woman introduces you to a man, the first instance is to let yourself be deceived into this being a love story. On the contrary, it would be a story of violence, hurt, and most importantly, of a panic attack. 

The moment the viewer finds themselves located at the heart of Lisa's desperate attempts to bring herself back from a panic attack using sense grounding, most skilfully employed within the body of the narrative, little do they realise that they have already been sucked into the story beyond the point of return. The narrative then follows a non-linear, back and forth movement to conjure the past events that led to this intensely emotional moment for the protagonist. 

As the drama is built gradually, tactfully withholding and revealing information in turns, it is evident that we are headed towards an inevitable disaster. It is indeed in the realization of this lack of control in stopping the forward motion towards a potential catastrophe that the true success of the film lies. It further makes a pertinent, emphatic comment about violence and abuse in intimate equations and relationships, eventually leaving you with a conclusion which, though disturbing, is tinged with poetic justice, and for the morbid viewer, perhaps even with a strange sense of satisfaction.

Sense Memory | Short Film of the Day

A marine biologist works into the night when unexplained noises from under the water's surface halt her work. As another expert steps in to unravel the mystery of the sounds, while also alluding to the menace of plastics and their onslaught on the environment, the most shocking reality unfolds. 

The film presents a swift introduction of not only the strange circumstance at hand but also a glimpse into Amy, the protagonist’s world. There is loss, and perhaps past trauma, coupled with a fierce sense of protecting the memory of a partner that has been left behind in its wake - components all of which rope in deep unease into the story. 

Without truly offering the cause and effect, and what has led Amy to this moment, a sinister situation is portrayed for the viewer. The film does an efficient job of not only using the limited aspects of a story but also a confined physical space to bring all of this to life in its brevity. Additionally, it leaves the door open for a longer exploration of the moment the film presents.

Julie Bruns

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