HNIFF 2023
Disconnected
Directed by Mariah Owen · Canada · 9 min · short · narrative
Rachel drops a truth bomb on her Mom over a long-distance call.
This film's screening window has ended.
From the director
The relationship we have with our parents is one that will remain with us for the rest of our lives. Even the greatest of relationships have their boundaries, breaking points and tribulations.
One of the most profound, confusing and difficult moments you will experience in life is the realization that your parents are real people too and that “grown-ups” don’t have all of the answers. These differences of opinion are often discovered and met with hegemonic resistance through conversations surrounding a variety of topics, especially mental health.
I wanted to write something that highlighted the generational discrepancies surrounding mental health, and how we often choose to hide our struggles as a way to love, support and save our relationships with our families.
We shot this short film entirely in quarantine with myself in Toronto and Nahanni Johnstone in the Atlanta area during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hope to screen at your festival and hopefully start a conversation surrounding mental health at your own dinner table. Thank you for your time & consideration.
