GRAVID
A woman discovers something repulsive growing inside her. She fears it's a manifestation of the secret she is keeping from her boyfriend: she doesn't want children. He does. And he's delighted because he thinks she is pregnant.
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LAURA JAI SMITHDirectorGET ON BOARD, THE OUTBACK MOTEL, EVA, BIRTH DAY, JUST LIKE MY DAD.
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LAURA JAI SMITHWriterGET ON BOARD, THE OUTBACK MOTEL, EVA, BIRTH DAY, JUST LIKE MY DAD
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ELENA VALERIProducer
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ELEANOR WYLDKey Cast"AMY"TRIGANOMETRY, LOVESICK, THIRTEEN
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MAX RINEHARTKey Cast"JOHANN"UNFORGOTTEN, INDUSTRY, MISS YOU ALREADY
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JENNY RAYProduction DesignerBLUE IGUANA, THE LONELIEST BOY IN THE WORLD, SURGE
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ESTEFANIA CARPIOCinematographerBRUTAL, PHONETIME
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JACKIE TEBOULCinematographerINSTRUCTIONS FOR A TEENAGE ARMAGEDDON, BORROWED TIME
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RUTH PEASEHair, Make Up and Prosthetics DesignerCENSOR, ANT MAN AND WASP" QUANTUMANIA
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BECKY GORECostume DesignerNOCTURNAL, KAT AND THE BAND
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MIRA THUEditorSPRING ROLL DREAM, BLUE NOTE, ANOTHER ROUND
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CARLOS SAN JUANSound DesignerSPRING ROLL DREAM, THE END OF THE SKY
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OLIVER WEGMÜLLERComposerSTORIES OF YOU AND I, CATERPILLAR
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:HORROR, DRAMA, BODY HORROR, FEMALE NARRATIVE, SURREAL, RELATIONSHIP, BRITISH CULTURE, FEMALE CREATIVE, SUPERNATURAL, DARK FAIRYTALE, ABSURD, PSYCHOLOGICAL, BIZARRE, MENTAL HEALTH
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Runtime:14 minutes 30 seconds
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Completion Date:August 11, 2023
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Production Budget:10,000 GBP
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Country of Origin:United Kingdom
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Country of Filming:United Kingdom
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:ARRI ALEXA MINI
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Aspect Ratio:2.39
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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HOLLYSHORTSLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
United States
August 20, 2023
World Premiere
Official Selection -
AESTHETICAYORK
United Kingdom
November 12, 2023
UK Premiere
Official Selection -
VANCOUVER HORROR SHOWVANCOUVER
Canada
October 22, 2023
Canadian Premiere
WINNER: BEST PRACTICAL EFFECTS -
FINAL GIRLS BERLINBerlin
Germany
February 11, 2024
European Premiere
Official Selection -
LANDSHUT SHORT FILM FESTIVALMUNICH
Germany
March 13, 2024
Official Selection -
ETREUM HORROR FILM FESTIVALBOGATÁ
Colombia
June 14, 2024
South American Premiere
Official Selection -
HORRORCONUKSheffield
United Kingdom
May 12, 2024
Official Selection
Laura is an award winning film and television director whose work was described by INDIEWIRE as “an intriguing marriage of the psychological and the visceral”.
Her short films have been commissioned by the UK’s BFI and CHANNEL 4 and supported by the SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FILM CORPORATION. They screened worldwide at festivals and on television.
She has directed over thirty episodes of television drama for the BBC and CHANNEL 4.
She is developing feature films with financiers including the BFI and has been selected for the CANNES FILM FESTIVAL’s FRONTIERÈS programme and THE EUROPEAN GENRE FORUM.
She is a graduate of the UK’s NATIONAL FILM AND TELEVISION SCHOOL. Prior to this she gained a 1st Class Degree in Fine Art and exhibited as an installation artist and photographer in England and Europe.
GRAVID is inspired by my experience of being frightened to say that I didn’t want children because my partner did. At first neither of us wanted them but when our friends started having them I realised he had changed his mind. I feared saying I hadn’t in case our relationship ended. In hindsight I can see that he didn’t talk about his decision either. It was as if we both had secrets growing inside us.
In GRAVID the physical manifestation of Amy’s secret is inspired by a medical phenomena in which a tumour made of human body parts can exist benignly for decades before having to be removed. In this sense Amy’s conflict with her partner makes her face up to who she is, but the reality has been inside her for much longer. During the film she realises she is in danger, not from her relationship ending, but from hiding her true self.
I also wanted to portray a woman who doesn’t want children as often it’s male characters who have this dilemma.