FEMSPECTIVES 2020 - I Told My Mum I Was Going On An RE Trip
FEMSPECTIVES 2020
Across all countries, nationalities and religious affiliations, abortion is a universally difficult conversation to have. As a very young and scared woman who unwittingly enters into this conversation, the choice of whether or not to have one is an even more difficult decision to make. Lindy Heymann’s I Told My Mum I Was Going On An R.E Trip breaks down the conversational barrier by firmly cementing the stories of four women in the reality they come from and allowing personal life experience to tell each story naturally. What results is a deceptively straightforward, clear and heartbreakingly real portrait of the turbulent changes that unplanned pregnancy can bring in one’s life and the uncomfortable choice that haunts their being.
Emma Burns, Aizah Khan, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell and Dorcas Sebuyange turn in a variety of nuanced and distinct performances based on the recorded conversations of real women. Primarily, they embody the lives and stories of “Paige”, “Tanaya”, “Leah” and “Cousin”, respectively — four young women who engage in one-sided conversation about the difficulties they once encountered whilst on the brink of unwanted motherhood. Each actor is tasked with breathing life, depth, believability and normalcy into these four characters, as well as a modest array of similarly burdened women. All four actors craft such diverse and idiosyncratic performances, with changing accents, ages, perspectives and mannerisms. The short film relies heavily on the strength and distinction of these performances; the actors display a wide range of grounded human emotion skillfully. The performances do a lot to illustrate the thematic concept of the narrative and bring humanity to the film in an underplayed yet powerful way.
What is immediately striking about each character is the contrast in their stories and the conclusions they come to about abortion. Some of the characters believe in the sanctity of life from the moment of conception and some believe in the power of choice in all matters concerning one’s own body. Paige, Tanaya, Leah and Cousin face different types of support systems from their loved ones — or a lack thereof — and must confront both their own beliefs and the looming opinions of their family. As well, the stakes vary across each story and their internal struggle is manifested in monologue that stays in constant conversation with the viewer. This concept is, at once, undoubtedly experimental and intriguing but consistently provides a powerful lens through which to explore their perspectives.
Though the film risks appearing monotonous and aimless, it subverts this by maintaining a steady rhythm with both spoken word musical interludes and tight pacing throughout. Every character is given space to breathe within the frame and the film appropriately pauses for moments of reflection on the weight of their respective burdens. Though the structure of the film does not often lend itself to streamlined storytelling or narrative cohesion, every scene remains compelling due to the strength of its core performances and Heymann’s more hands-off approach to directing. I Told My Mum I Was Going On An R.E Trip is as unusual and relatable as its title and works because it treats its characters with sensitivity, empathy and humanity — putting their stories on display as honestly as possible.
