Smoulder

2011

11min

Smoulder is a film about a teenage girl, Jacquelyn, who has a very controlling, conservative mother and struggles with her sexuality. Jacquelyn uses her friend's bonfire party to break free of her mother's control and explore having fun as a teenager and her desire for her best friend, Vivian; but, Jacquelyn's mother haunts her subconscious and small town mentality oppresses who she really is further. Jacquelyn is a shy, repressed person, while her best friend is popular, mature, and individualistic. The people at the party also overshadow Jacquelyn, and she must build up her confidence. She makes a move on Vivian, reveals her feelings, and crosses a line in their friendship upon which she can't return from. The film approach is surrealistic.