What does it look like to grieve? That is what Katherine DuBois explores in her short film, Awake. Through the under-15 minute journey, we see an unnamed woman wake up, every day, having to relearn the real truth that her loved one is deceased.
The film does not spell out everything for us. It slowly delves into specifics as it progresses. The initial ambiguity allows for others to relate, to think, “I don’t know what this woman has lost, but I understand that feeling.” In the first few times this woman awakens from her sleep, she is greeted by a flood of grief and tears. We watch her slowly erupted into an uncontrollable crying.
Femme Filmmakers Festival 2021 – Day One
It is through images and inferences that we learn this woman has lost her partner. From the dress clothes missing a person, to the pictures filling in the other side of the bed, we get a real glimpse of love and loss and what exists in-between.
In its short runtime, we get to understand and empathize with grief. What Awake shows is the unending process of processing the loss of a loved one. It is the start of a new day and having to relive the trauma of death. It is awakening to a new reality that still does not fit.
What DuBois does is guide us through grief rather than spelling it out for us. DuBois uses images and scenes to portray grief in an honest and visceral way. As the actress in the film, DuBois plays double duty, crafting the story behind and in front of the camera. She gives us a true picture of what loss can look like; help us understand the start some people have to their days after a death shatters their lives.
Katherine DuBois ends her film with a simple and powerful message: “Dedicated to a Friend.” Here’s to the love and attention we give each other during our darkest hours.