KANASHIBARI

This short psychological horror film explores the world of sleep paralysis and emotional imprisonment.

Kanashibari, or “imprisoned by metal” in Japanese, refers to a deeply rooted belief in Japan. In this culture, sleep paralysis is interpreted as the intrusion of a supernatural entity that immobilizes its victim on waking.

As a victim of sleep paralysis myself, I've experienced the profound and disturbing impact of this disorder, caused in particular by anxiety and stress. While the body remains asleep and immobilized, the eyes open and consciousness awakens. The disorder is often accompanied by hallucinations, trapping consciousness between dream and reality. Being trapped in your own body, unable to move or scream, under the oppressive gaze of a silhouette is a terrifying experience. This metaphor seemed to me the perfect way to express the way we are sometimes locked up in our traumas, fears and regrets.

Through this film, I wanted to highlight Bonnie's emotional degradation. Scarred by the loss of her child, she is prone to bouts of sleep paralysis, frozen under the menacing gaze of a silhouette that feeds on her trauma. Gradually, the entity no longer manifests itself only during her attacks, but also in her daily life, following her emotional variations. Unable to grieve and take control of her hallucinations, she is not only a prisoner of her body, but also of her environment and her mind. I chose to highlight this inner struggle, this battle between reality and illusion.

I also wanted to immerse the viewer in Bonnie's most intimate emotions, in order to establish a visceral connection between her and the audience. By capturing her silences, her looks and her silent suffering, I sought to create a climate that was both heavy and touching, leading the viewer to feel compassion for Bonnie. The film's aim is not just to frighten, but to touch and mark the mind.

The short film takes place mainly in familiar spaces for Bonnie. Her apartment, supposed to be a safe environment, quickly evolves into a place of anguish, where every nook and cranny seems conducive to the appearance of the entity. The child's bedroom is a central symbol of the protagonist's unresolved trauma. This is the emotional heart of the film, where the pain of loss is most palpable.

More than a simple horror story, Kanashibari questions traumatic memory and the way the human mind can lock us into a cycle of sadness and uncertainty. Sometimes, the greatest threat comes not from outside, but from ourselves.