Alive is a short film that will challenge your perceptions about how you think of disabled people. Writer and Director, Jimmy Olsson, manages to tell a story in a sensitive without melodrama or an overly verbose script, that leaves you wishing that this was a full length feature rather than a 30 minute short.
Victoria is confined to a wheelchair and lives in a centre and has round the clock carers due to her disabilities. When her young, vivacious daytime carer, Ida takes her to the park they bump into Ida’s boyfriend. This leads Victoria to express what is rarely represented on screen, a disabled person’s sexual desires. She too wants someone but doesn’t think anyone would want her due to her physical limitations. Ida helps her to create a tinder account, thinking this harmless until the next day when Victoria announces that she has been chatting with a man who plans to come over for what we realise is a one night stand. Ida is horrified. Does Victoria get her wish?
The brilliance of this short film is how it throws up so many questions without detracting from the story. Aren’t the disabled entitled to love in the same way as able-bodied people? It is rare to see this type of representation on screen and, a timely reminder, that more films like this are needed. The only way to change perceptions is for more representation on screen. This is such a gem of a film with a great script and good acting.
It will be shown at the London Film Festival 2020 and Raindance Independent Film Festival 2020.
