Cul-De-Sac [Shorts Session 3]

On the morning of her annual Memorial Day barbecue, a young mother, Jiya, is threatened by tormenting symptoms of postpartum psychosis. Overwhelmed, she tries to suppress the sense of dread as her mental state worsens, but her sense of reality begins to deteriorate when the final guest arrives – her mother.

Director

With a background in behavioral psychology, Cara Lawson moved to study directing at Columbia College Chicago in 2011. Beginning in fall 2015, Lawson attended the AFI Conservatory to study directing. After the first year’s portfolio review, she was awarded a full-tuition scholarship. Lawson’s passion is to delve into other worlds. Whether it’s another planet or time period, her goal is to engage audiences in new experiences with emotionally rich and vibrant characters. Her work is heavily researched and she works to use her multi-ethnic background to fuse different cultures together and showcase diversity.

Shivaani Sharma has been immersed in the world of acting since the age of thirteen, spending three years studying the craft at the American Conservatory Theatre and at the Acting and Performance Institute Program at UCLA. In Spring 2016, she graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology before going on to work in several short films and new media projects. She has simultaneously been attending improv and acting classes at Speiser/Sturges studio for the past four years, and recently became a member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Her passion for acting is fueled by her innate desire to tell stories that push the boundaries of representation and advocate for social impact. She believes films can foster an empathy that highlights the grit of humanity and brings people closer together. As a South Asian woman, Shivaani strives to accurately represent the culture and people of her vibrant community while continuing to encourage them to embrace their individuality.

Director’s note: The simple narrative of Cul-De-Sac aims to show a young woman as she battles postpartum psychosis. For mothers, it’s one of the most horrific things to deal with: having thoughts of harming one’s child. My interest and background in psychology makes me compelled to share this woman’s story. There’s a social stigma attached to postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis, and I wish to spread awareness by placing you in this woman’s shoes as she fights this mental illness.

Paying homage to filmmakers like Hitchcock, the goal of this film is to captivate the audience as they watch the events. With the shadow of the unspeakable act hanging over every interaction, we see within the story and how everyone on the screen reacts (or doesn’t). We do not wish to explain her behavior, but rather have the audience observe her psychology at its most raw and most fragile state, and allow them to put the pieces together along with the characters.

Festivals/Awards

LA Shorts International Film Festival