SYNOPSIS

Five-year-old Sarah observes her Mother after the woman gives birth to baby Joy. The fascination with a woman's body brings Sarah to an unsettling observation: the arrival of the baby does not bring the expected happiness. Sarah’s quest to regain her Mother’s joy confronts the girl with the untold experiences of women.

INTENTION

My interest in the body grows from my artistic and personal experiences. As a Polish citizen, in the last few years I witnessed reproductive control policies happening in Poland, and growing insecurity among women who needed an abortion. I saw the revival of pro-life policies, and a healthcare system shifting from a safe space to one of political oppression.

My debut short Growing was an aftermath of these experiences: its vivid reception showed me how stirring the subjects of pregnancy and childbirth are.

In many places, motherhood-related subjects - abortion, miscarriage, postpartum - are still subjects of taboo, stigmatization, and political control, generating stories and human experiences that are often untold.

In Joy, a child's gaze brings these facets of motherhood on screen with curiosity and empathy. The aesthetics produced by animating life-size realistic silicone bodies, show Motherhood as an ambiguous space where tenderness blends with violence into a bodily uncanny, yet utmost human experience.