The Life Across the Way

Fundamentally, my passion lies in people. My passion for this film stems from the fact I am inquisitive, there is not a person I pass that I don't want to pester. Ever since I was young, I have been fascinated by the idea that a body can create life. As I grew and experienced losses of life that weren’t able to grow alongside me, I wondered where these energies dispersed to and if those losses could be seen in the physical world as strongly as they were felt. Having conversations with my family about our experience with baby loss has inspired this documentary, and being raised in an environment where we were encouraged to discuss the things that hurt us has made me passionate to open up the conversations to others. The emotions that this film highlights are things that people can relate to, whether it's openly or in the comforts of their own mind; we have all lost something. The focus on baby loss and child bereavement is a reflection of what my own family has been through, and our openness about this taboo is an advocacy for others to feel secure enough to speak about their losses too.

This film has a very personal connection to my family, not only is the subject my aunt, but conversationally focuses on her experience losing a loved one that she and the rest of our family all acknowledge and grieve in our daily life nine years after Timothy's birth and death. The grief of not being able to see someone in our family grow up is at the core of this film and the reason for not showing Timothy is and expression of the absence that we as a family suffer, despite our recognition of his continuing part in our lives. Focusing on the experience and how loss presents itself in day to day life for the subject, I wanted to capture a world that carried on with the acknowledgement that someone should have been there to experience life with those in the film, that, whilst brothers, sisters and cousins play together, there will always be room for those no longer with us. This film blossomed from my thoughts on where love and life goes once there is no vessel for it, whether you lose a child or family member or friend, the love you have for them remains without being able to give it to them, and I wanted to observe this in the everyday reminders of loss in Steph’s life.