Xaviea

damn! this captures that emotional reflex where the moment you need support is the moment you feel least able to be seen. it is not that his friends are unsafe, it is that their presence makes him feel too visible. when you already feel incapable, even kindness can feel like a burn.

two things happening at once; the part of him that wants connection, and the part that is scared that his vulnerability will show. needing people activates shame instead of comfort, so he pulls away. not because he does not care, but because he is trying to protect the last bit of his self-esteem. it is that familiar thought of if you look at me right now, you will see I am not okay.

I see him & have been there.

10/10 for me

the storytelling lets emotions unfold naturally, trusting the audience to feel the raw emotional temperature without relying on dramatics or obvious antagonists. I love the order in which it unfolds:

it opens in the aftermath of a breakup,
rewinds to the breakup itself,
and ends with the day leading up to it, showing how ordinary moments gain weight in hindsight.

shot on 16mm, its grainy, intimate texture makes it deeply character-driven and full of psychological insight. the camera freezes moments into still frames, capturing significance the characters themselves haven’t yet realized.

reflective & little haunting!?