SHORTS BLOCK – FAMILY TIES

LOVE, DAD AND DADDY – In 2021, UK actor Ross Adams and his husband were approved to adopt. But after matching with a little boy, their journey was brought to an abrupt halt. Now, Ross explores the adoption system and considers if he has the strength to try again.

ECHO – Echo, tells the story of Alice, a young woman so traumatized by the loss of her baby that she shuts herself off emotionally from her partner and retreats into a fantasy world where she is able to connect with the essence of the child she lost, who we call Echo. After an elaborate underwater game of hide and seek, which clearly fills her with joy, Alice comes to the realization that she must make a choice; sink down into the dark water with Echo, or come up for air where Tom is desperately searching for her.

STILLNESS – A photographer comes to take remembrance portraits for a family who have suffered a stillbirth.

A LAST RESORT – A mother and daughter day-trip to the sea-side. As the

enigmatic duo regress back to childhood ways, A LAST RESORT takes a humorous and painfully honest look at mother/daughter relationships and the dastardly life cards so many are dealt.

CERES – A daughter seeks refuge from her emotionally abusive partner at the home of her estranged mother. They attempt to reconnect and move forward, despite the knowledge that their time together is limited; bound in a knot of silent agreement to the changing of the seasons.

FIFTY-FOUR DAYS – When tragedy strikes, a spirited young woman turns to wild swimming in search of answers. By swimming each day at dawn and forming an unlikely friendship, she learns to accept her grief and the grief of those around her.

UNTHINKABLE CONVERSATIONS – Almost a year into a lawless war Amy and Jack have given up hope of anyone coming to help them. Hiding in their once beautiful home with their three young children, they are now starving . The violence rages around them and in the brutal world outside there is no value in anything except the lives of children. Bought and sold as cattle Amy and Jack begin to face up to the reality that the only way to save two of their children is to sell one.