Private Project

So...what is love?

When Lily (a deaf woman) loses Carter (the love of her life), she struggles to understand what is real and what is not, leading her to see things that simply don't exist. Her grief is consuming but not in the ways that people would suspect. Nevertheless, overtime, she slowly comes to accept it.

  • Maria Martins Calado
    Director
  • Maria Martins Calado
    Writer
  • Reese Evans
    Key Cast
    "Lily"
  • Neela De Boer
    Key Cast
    "Carter"
  • Andrew
    Key Cast
    "Man"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Romance
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 44 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 21, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Portugal
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - NYFA
  • Lift-Off November Sessions
    The Hague, Netherlands (online)
    United Kingdom
    December 18, 2023
    November Online Premiere
    Won an Audience Choice Award
  • Athens International Monthly Art Festival
    The Hague, Netherlands (online)
    Greece
    Honourable Mention
  • Humro Cinema Film Fest
    The Hague, Netherlands (online)
    Nepal
    Won "Best Student Short Film"
  • Edinburgh Film Awards
    The Hague, Netherlands (online)
    United Kingdom
    Semi-Finalist
  • Hawaii International Film Awards
    The Hague, Netherlands (online)
    United States
    Semi-Finalist
Director Biography - Maria Martins Calado

My name is Maria Martins Calado, I am a 18-year-old student film-maker. Currently, I am based in the The Hague but I am originally Portuguese.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

When I watched a deaf woman in a dutch store struggle to communicate with the clerk, I saw a version of a life I had never really known, a struggle that I had never seen before but emphasised with. I felt even more strongly for the situation when the people around her, including the clerk, customers etc, tried to help, but in reality, the struggle never changed. I emphasised with that. I wanted to write for someone who felt like that.