‘Trill’ is a heartfelt portrayal of a moment in a girl’s life, a moment defined by self-doubt, uncertainty and the pursuit to overcome it all. The film is especially beautiful in the intimacy it brings to everything that this moment comes to stand for, while efficiently utilizing narratorial brevity all along. 

The protagonist, a young woman, ruins a singing audition. After the disappointment, she comes home to a nagging mother who reminds her to focus on her academics more than anything else. She is not only left with the heartbreak of a failed audition, but also a resounding sense of isolation and loneliness in a space where there is little recognition of her talent and desires. 

The developments portrayed thus are tied together by a single triumphant act in solitude, one where the girl’s voice is undiminished and invincible - whether only in her head or in the real world, that remains irrelevant and inconsequential. However, the might of it all, whether or not it is witnessed by another, exists within her, and it is indeed this sentiment that takes the film home in a complete manner.

Trill | Short Film of the Month

Trigger warning: sexual assault 

‘Trashy’ is a difficult film to engage with simply because of the deeply disturbing reality it brings to life. The film becomes even more disconcerting in the realization that the horror here is not of the actual act of grotesque violence, but of the many factors that aided the very existence of this reality. 

 The story is of one night when Naomi crosses paths with her estranged cousin Courtney, and the two girls embark on a journey of underage drinking and easy flirtation. However, despite the seeming innocence of these activities, the mundane naughtiness of all teenage life, the threat of something overpowering the narrative, and thus, the lives of the two girls before us, remains palpable throughout. 

A sinister world of shadows and seediness, too dark for the young girls to truly comprehend, is conjured for the viewer, a world from which there is no looking away, no matter how difficult the circumstance. The end result of the endeavor is a powerful story, fittingly bleak in the message it leaves you with. 

The reminder is to be free, to live your life defying the many inhibitions that may have been forced upon you, but not without caution, and definitely not at the cost of hurting those around you. Though the subject matter of the film spans repressed sexuality, and the close control of the female body, without getting preachy, it also exposes the underbelly of this well-intentioned parental and familial authority and the gross backfiring that it can potentially lead to.

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