Private Project

Snakeskin

A trans girl misses her train stop one night and embarks on a surreal journey back home as her dreams start leaking into her reality.

  • Emily Bendeck Garay
    Director
  • Veronica García
    Key Cast
    "Yari"
  • Ana Sarem
    Key Cast
    "Emma"
    Queendom, Saturn Return
  • Raven Light
    Key Cast
    "Sharise"
    DeVice, Devil's Knight
  • Leopoldo Vieytes
    Key Cast
    "Andrés"
    Emanate
  • Phil Boutros
    Key Cast
    "Sammy"
  • Ronald Lee
    Producer
    InConvenience
  • Mykyta Kutepov
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Emily Bendeck Garay

Hi, I'm a Honduran filmmaker based in Vancouver, Canada. I come from a digital art background and hold experience in the Film/TV world in the production, locations and art departments. I would describe my style as dreamy, magic-realist, and colourful.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

In a way, Yari's journey is a reversal of your classic coming out story - instead of building up to a moment of revelation and acceptance, we see her work backwards to regain her agency and self-acceptance after being prematurely outed.

Concurrent to Yari's journey of needing to walk home after sleeping through her stop, she also goes through an internal exploration of her psyche. Through the blurred lines of nightscape and dreamscape, we explore the complexities of the human experience through themes of identity, relationships, time, memory, and yearning.

As a nod to the Latin American magic realism movement, the boundaries behind surreal and real elements aren't defined or explained, but it is instead used as a tool to unravel our protagonist. There are loose allusions to Mayan symbology, with the snake as a vessel between realms. A parallel is also suggested between gender diverse peoples and snake symbology, both of which were celebrated in early human history, but sidelined in modern times.

Coupled with an original synth soundtrack and unsettling usage of lead room, this saccharine opera prima was inspired by my dear friends who are trans, who are over-politicized and under-loved.