Five Weeks
2022 · 13m · UK
Directed by Geej Ower
Genres: drama
Tones: melancholic, tender, tense
A new mother suffering from postnatal depression navigates one claustrophobic afternoon alone with her baby, capturing the isolation, exhaustion, and pressure to appear in control during early motherhood.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Postnatal depression rendered as quiet domestic monotony rather than full-tilt breakdown — that's the harder, more honest cut. Esther Smith is exactly the right kind of capable.
Ower locating postnatal depression in the monotony rather than the extremity — this is the Joanna Hogg discipline applied to early motherhood, with Esther Smith carrying it. Refusing the dramatic crescendo is the truer choice.
Choosing mundane-everydayness over dramatic extremes is the harder craft option for postnatal depression — tension from monotony rather than crisis. 12:42 with Esther Smith carrying it; the formal restraint matches the subject in a way most postpartum dramas refuse.
Reviews
Ower is a master of inspiring intimate performances from actors and non actors alike, and lead actor Esther Smith puts in a powerful performance as struggling new mother Jen, teetering on the edge with such authenticity that it elicits genuine empathy.
The real dangers lie in the everydayness of this time; the claustrophobia and monotony, the sleep deprivation, and the exhaustion of trying to cope, combined with the pressure to appear like you're in control and enjoying this time.
Festivals
- Bolton Film Festival 2022, Best UK Short
- Exit 6 Film Festival 2023, Best Performance
- British Urban Film Festival 2023