Hold Me Tight is the new instalment in NQV Media’s short film collection Upon Her Lips continuing their anthology of lesbian shorts from around the world. This collection has gathered five diverse films from the UK, Canada, France and Norway; take a look at each below.
GRACE AND SOPHIE (UK)
Starring: Molly Moody, Maddie Rice
Director: Timo Willman
Best friends Grace and Sophie wake up together after a heavy night out, realising that they have slept together. Through the morning fog of hungover regret, they try to process what happened the night before, trying not to let this new development in their friendship affect their feelings for each other. Subtle, nuanced and terribly British, the girls’ relationship takes centre stage in this playfully awkward duologue in a messy kitchen. Fun, sweet and adorable, this is warm nugget of Bridget Jones-ish bumblecore.
WOMAN MEETS GIRLS (Canada)
Starring: Enuka Okuma, Chelsea Russell
Director: Murry Peeters
An older woman has taken in a young sex worker from the streets, giving her a place to stay. While the latter is a charismatic live wire, the former is an emotionally repressed virgin whose life couldn’t be further from that of her new ward. After a revealing night at home together, the connection between these two sends them toward common ground. A sensual and seductive short about a woman overcoming her internal saboteur, this late night conversation is an emotional nodal point caught simply on film. Beautifully performed, this is a compelling and liberating two-hander.
CONCRETE HEART (France)
Starring: Mey Ben El Fellah, Calypso Buijtenhuijs
Director: Enrika Panero
In the urban jungle of North Paris, Kenza is a street-hardened teen whose future looks as bleak as her past. Despite the derision of her friends, she attends classes where she learns to rap, delivered by her zesty tutor, Oréade. Slowly coming out of her shell, she begins to show a talent - and desires - that she didn’t know she had. A slick and urbane short that captures the harsh deprivation of the banlieues, this is a coming of age film about the awakening of talent and finding the diamond in the rough. Depicting the inner city as its harsh backdrop, Kenza slowly reveals herself as a kind and eager prodigy, despite what it took her to get there.
NOORA (Norway)
Starring: Dagny Backer Johnsen, Sacha Slengesol Balgobin, Thor Brekkeflat
Director: Tommy Næss
Noora has grown up in a remote religious community in Norway. Her parents have decided that she will marry a neighbour, the much older Johannes, but this is thrown into disarray because she is secretly in love with Siv, a woman from the city who isn’t part of her sect. As she decides whether to accept her parents’ decision or go her own life-upending way, we watch as she grapples with the choice that will change her life forever. A contemplative and thoughtful short played out against intense choral music, it perfectly captures the gravity of Noora’s inner turmoil juxtaposed against the normalcy of her exterior. And with a deeply emotional performance from its titular lead, this is a strong character drama, focused on her very biggest of choices.
EXPECTING (France)
Starring: Clotilde Hesme, Laetitia Dosch, Émilie Brisavoine
Director: Alice Douard
As Jeanne is in labour at the maternity ward, her partner Céline waits patiently in the waiting room next door, sitting with the nervous fathers as they await the birth of their children. An intriguing little drama about the strangeness of being in a same sex couple in heteronormative situations like this, Céline reacts with grace and poise to being the other within a gendered scenario. Dignified yet witty, this well-written drama perfectly captures both the anticipation of new parents and the imposter syndrome that we can be sometimes made to feel.
Hold Me Tight is a disparate and diverse compilation of contrasts, placing sex workers alongside new parents, religious sects next to rap prodigies. While all are strong shorts, it is Noora that is easily the collection’s stand-out.
UK Release: Out now to watch on VOD, released by NQV Media.
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