About this Short Film
Directed by Oluwafeyikemi Olusoga (Nigeria, 2023), Trauma is a short film that looks at trauma and mental health. It touches on themes of PTSD, therapy and the experiences of adults, teenagers and children within group settings. The film offers quiet moments that encourage reflection on recovery, support and understanding without offering easy answers. Presented in the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival, Trauma contributes to our programme’s aim of highlighting the abilities, experiences and achievements of people with disability. Suitable for viewers interested in mental health, care and the variety of ways people seek help.
Film Details
Film Transcript
"It's all in your head, okay? It's all in your head. It's only a bad dream."
"Okay. Not this one."
"Okay. I won't let anything happen. See? I promise."
A super shot right in front of her eyes. She is in pain. She cannot bear it. Tenny is only 10 years old. Life in black and white is what she has had to see. This is more hurtful than anything that bleeds.
"So what do you do for a living?"
"I work really hard."
"Great. Excuse me — I didn't travel all the way down here for some drink and some plastic smiles. After all, I didn't invite myself. The least you could do is start a boring conversation."
"Actually, I wasn't the one that invited you. My friend did."
"Okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to come out that way."
"It's fine. Thanks for the drink. I'll just go."
"I'm sorry. I was — that was petty of me and rude, and I'm sorry."
"What is wrong with you? Why are you so stuck up and full of yourself?"
"I know, I know. I wasn't thinking straight. I've been having a hard time. Are you gonna talk about it? If you're not going to talk about it, I'll just go."
"My wife's depression for a bit, and I was at the hospital for a couple of days. When I came back she was gone. No — not no texts, code. I mean, like, I give her everything, and I think it did this. You couldn't rely on me. Like, I'm sorry. I really got you something."
"It's okay. It's fine. It's fine. But have you tried seeing a therapist?"
"Apparently I was charged in court for a case of mental instability and drug overuse, so I had to see one, whether I wanted to or not. So, thank you. I'm done with that."
"That's a bit extreme. I'm sorry you're going through this, but you really need to see a therapist that deals more with emotional stress. You can't just push everybody away."
"What about pets? Do you like pets? Maybe you should get one. Oftentimes we call them in cold when he is only sad."
Filmmaker
Oluwafeyikemi Olusoga is the filmmaker behind this entry. See every Focus on Ability entry from Oluwafeyikemi Olusoga.
