Filmmaker Sarah Sellman explores the complexities of identity and perception in her short film Gillyfish. The eleven-minute film examines the power of human connection and the intimacy that can grow when experiencing vulnerability. Gillyfish made its World Premiere at the 2024 BFI Flare Film Festival. Previously, it was nominated for ‘Best North American Native’ at the Miami Short Film Festival, and Alba Fernandez (Director of Photography) won ‘Best Cinematography’ at the European Cinematography Awards.

To See and Feel Seen

When we are first introduced to Gillian (Aoife Commons) and her partner Lana (Cat Coyle), they are in the middle of a sensitive conversation. Laying next to each other in bed, Lana expresses her hesitation about confronting her father. Apparently, this moment has been a long time coming and Lana is now getting cold feet. To ease her partner’s anxiety, Gilly agrees to pretend to be Lana and face her father. This scenario plays out almost like a distant cousin to The Parent Trap where the children switch identities to spend time with the parent they never had in their lives. Gilly, rightfully cautious at first, finds Lana’s father and courageously confronts him. What Gilly didn’t expect, however, was to form an unlikely connection with the man she is conning. By working through Lana’s issues, Gilly realizes she is also confronting many of her own.

Takeaway

Gillyfish is about healing by proxy, and the relief that comes when acknowledging hard truths. The film feels like it’s part of a larger story, one that director Sarah Sellman can hopefully explore in the future. Given the time constraints and the film’s loose story structure, audiences may feel they are missing a concrete resolution. However, Gillyfish imitates life in that tightly packaged happily-ever-afters are rarely experienced, nor authentic. Playing more like a meditation on an experience, rather than embodying a traditional movie structure, Gillyfish is, above all things, a moving indie gem. The film is produced by Maya Korn and MHK Productions.