About this Short Film
Rhys (Laughlin O'Connor, Australia, 2020) is a short film included in the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival. It explores themes around brain injury, physical disability, mental health and confidence, with sport and cricket forming part of its context. The film looks frankly at the pressures faced by young adults managing complex health issues, and the ways personal identity and resilience can shift over time. It is a thoughtful, human portrait that respects difficult subjects such as mental illness and suicide while highlighting moments of strength and vulnerability. Rhys sits comfortably in our programme as a film that prompts conversation and understanding.
Film Details
Film Transcript
I started to freak out in my head, thinking there are people I should be — like I haven't said goodbye to. They had been trying to help me, and I was like, I've got to say goodbye to them. I said goodbye to my family; I said I'm sorry. A couple of people from cricket were online, and then I was convinced I was dying. It came down to seconds and centimetres — it saved my life. The ambulance arrived, they knocked my door down, they carried me out and they got me to the hospital. Now I've got brain damage and left-side neglect.
Filmmaker
Laughlin O'Connor is the filmmaker behind this entry. See every Focus on Ability entry from Laughlin O'Connor.
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