Happy Anniversary

Although it is the second short film that I’ve written and directed, Happy Anniversary was a few firsts for me: the first film project I’ve done outside of a school environment; the first time I worked with a larger team, and the first romantic short. So far I had only worked by myself, or with one other crew member, and we wore many hats on that shoot, and I never thought I would make a romantic film, yet the inspiration has led me to doing both.

The story follows a young woman who has an idealized view of her partner. The red flags that anyone else would see in her relationship, are invisible to the protagonist, as she views her relationship through rose coloured glasses. She is putting in a lot of thought and effort into making their relationship and life together work, while her partner isn’t giving the same energy. Of her pushing through being drained of all of this to love enough for the both of them. Of her reaching her breaking point when she has no choice but to take those glasses off.

This story was originally a college assignment in my last year. While I was reviewing some of my old work, I’ve decided to take this one and rework it and expand on it a bit more, as I felt they were the bones of a good story there, a relatable story to be told.

Even though I haven’t been in a romantic relationship myself, I know what it’s like to put in a lot of your energy for someone, only for them to not care about you in the end.
Most of the inspiration for expanding this story came from what my mother had gone through. Like the young woman in my story, she too, spent a lot of time preparing something special for her husband, only for him to completely forget and go somewhere else. There were no apologies, just abandonment and neglect.

Although a story like this has been told many times, it’s one that is still happening to many people, even women. I tell this story because I also wanted to show another ending. One where we don't know what happens next for the character; one that is open to interpretation. Not every love story has a happy ending and the love that one may experience, can die if that love isn’t reciprocated back.