The Art Factory
Director Kelly Walker marks her feature debut with a heartbreaking film that explores the subjects of grief and loss. What if the last words you hear from a loved one were “I’ll be right back”? Walker immediately grabs the audience's attention when Jane’s (Jeanette Maus) best friend Fiona (Sara Amini) jumps off a building, committing suicide and forever changing Jane's life. Jane is devastated over the loss and feels the best way to cope and share the grief is to care for Fiona and Gemma’s (Corbin Reid) 7-year-old son Bailey (Elohim Nycalove). Gemma and Jane eventually become closer and build up an intimate relationship.
Walker does an excellent job creating tension, especially in the opening scene which sinks the audience's hearts. The cinematography stands out with the one-shot 360° build-up to an emotional and impactful opening. Why would Fiona take her life? Why does this happen? Most of these questions are answered as Jane investigates how this could happen to her biggest inspiration. Showing different portrayals of grief, the film includes fantastic performances from Maus and Reid. Walker’s script features fully-fleshed-out characters that try to comprehend the pain and sorrow they go through.
Maus' performance shines the most; she has great chemistry with every character she interacts with along and shares a sweet bond she shares with Nycalove. When Gemma and Jane start to have an intimate relationship that is almost unethical but feels natural due to the connection they have. The film does not label their relationship, but Jane’s character explores a form of sexuality. However, she learns the lesson of being okay on her own and that it takes time to recover from a traumatizing event. Unfortunately, actress and acting teacher Maus passed away at age 39 to colon cancer early this year, but she will always be remembered for her incredible performance in this film.
Although the runtime could have been longer in order to flesh out the scenes a little more, My Fiona is a remarkable debut from a director on the rise. The intimate drama is sure to tear audiences' hearts. Recommend.