Forgive Me Father

2019, 10 minutes

Despite their seemingly lighthearted phone conversations, is Billy and Emma's relationship a shelter from the life's hardships, or is it a bound that pushes them to perform certain roles?

Emma, 25 and living in New York City, works a full-time job, has a long-standing boyfriend, and a close social network of friends. Her father, Billy, is 50 years old, remarried, and lives far away in some suburban utopia. Emma and Billy know each other pretty well and are more alike than they are different, but when it comes to phone calls, they tend to hide their personal troubles in an attempt to protect one another from worrying too much. It's a delicate relationship to navigate and often leaves them both feeling guilty for hiding some of the things they can hardly admit to themselves. Through exploring an unconventional lens of storytelling, the lies told between Emma and Billy unfold as the film progresses. The theme of this short film revolves around the dynamic of family member roles, and what loved ones are willing to hide from one another for the sake of protection.