Experiencing Interruptions?

The Empty

A panicked woman embarks on a quest for power.

  • Liam Adam Treacy
    Director
  • Imaan Haider
    Key Cast
    "Amina Kazemi"
  • Sasha Stefanov
    Cinematographer
  • Julian Buitrago
    Sound Designer
  • Zach Cox
    Colourist
  • Sartaj Aziz
    Title Design
  • Kristen Singh
    Graphics
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 40 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 30, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 CAD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    Arabic
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Liam Adam Treacy

Liam Adam Treacy is a Writer & Director based in Toronto. Originally from the UK, Liam had his early work screened at numerous festivals and venues in England such as the Cornerhouse Independent Cinema in Manchester and the National Media Museum in Bradford, which lead to a nomination for the National Young Filmmakers award at just 18 years old.

Since then, Liam has had films shown in Boston, Chicago, at the International Film Festival of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles, as well as India and Nigeria. His work has been described by critics as “Desolate, grim & gritty”, “Unapologetically Bold”, and “A masterclass in character dynamics and the art of storytelling”. Past accolades include honourable mentions from the Hollywood New Directors festival & the LA Underground Film Festival, his most recent film received a Best Actress award from the Alternative Film Festival in Toronto.

Liam’s writing achievements include a Quarter finalist placement in the ‘Filmmatic Screenplay Awards’, a Semi-finalist placement in the ‘Hollyshorts Screenwriting Competition’ as well as being featured on Coverfly’s ‘The Red List’. His most recent project was nominated for Best Short Screenplay at the Begin Film Festival and was awarded the top prize in screenwriting at the Oil Valley Film Festival.

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Director Statement

I had my own traumatic experience going through the immigration process, & I wanted to capture the stress and anxiety that I felt.

The utilization of horror tropes would accurately convey the sense of dread and tension that was prevalent in my life - so, young girl, alone at night, vulnerable, exposed, isolated, the implication that she is being watched/pursued by some kind of presence.

I knew it would be difficult to convey the stakes in such a short amount of time, so I needed to utilize as much loaded and instantly understandable imagery as possible, hence the hijab and pride patch - these should all inform the audience just how much is at stake - that being, persecution.

The idea of having the focus of the story be on a phone came to me fairly early on in the development process, as logically it made sense. However, I began to interrogate this idea and ask if there were any parallels between her quest to recharge her phone and her journey to immigrate to Canada. I began to think of Amina as an empty battery when she was in the middle east, a vessel devoid of life, unable to reach her true potential, & then her journey to Canada ‘re-charged’ her in a way, she is now full of life.

As the story concludes, however, she will once again return to being an empty battery.