Directed by Nicole Pott and written by leading actor Thomas Sargeant, as his father’s health rapidly declines, Tom returns home to face a family he has learned to keep at arm’s length. Over the course of a single day, quiet moments, half heard conversations, and unspoken truths surface as Tom, his family, and the palliative care team navigate the fragile space between hope and acceptance. Also starring: Angela Lonsdale, Sam Retford, Graeme Hawley, Connie Hyde, Kris Mochrie, Manjinder Virk, Jennifer Hayden and Eleanor Watkins.
The way that Nicole Pott introduces the audience to Between Breath & Silence was a clever, thoughtful choice. To have the opening shot be very slowly panning across with this excellent aesthetic and strong, warm colouring, topped with an emotionally driven score, before jumping into the everyday reality, makes for an excellent contrast. It gives viewers a clear idea of what’s to come, sets the tone and allows it to build some extra depth, while keeping things very much within that everyday realm.
Keeping Between Breath & Silence grounded and real was clearly a priority for Pott and Thomas Sargeant. It’s coming from an intensely personal place and they’re making a sincere effort to translate an honest experience, and they do a great job. Particularly when it comes to the little details which communicate a lot about the wider experience.
One that stands out is only allowing one family member in the room while delivering catastrophic news, undoubtedly a real life policy but one that doesn’t consider people’s different needs, or allow family and friends to be there to support one another in a terribly difficult moment. It didn’t necessarily need to be in the short, they could have simply moved straight into the diagnosis, so it’s one of several examples which shows the effort and thought which went into portraying the reality of the situation, rather than simply dramatizing it.
Having that earnest style is undoubtedly a big part of what enables Between Breath & Silence to build such a strong atmosphere of sincere emotion. Pott’s directorial style is consistently gentle, the camera moves with patience, as does the editing (from Siôn Roberts), so that every piece is working together to deliver that considerate, sensitive atmosphere. Having that foundation then allows the performance to take it a step further.
Thomas Sargeant does a really wonderful job of matching the energy of Between Breath & Silence overall, delivering a performance which has the perfect level of emotion. Communicating the struggle, bringing plenty of vulnerability but never overplaying his hand. Sargeant creates a relatable character, and the whole cast create an incredibly sympathetic atmosphere. Angela Lonsdale’s Sandra is a particularly interesting addition, there’s a slightly withdrawn edge to her performance, which subtly but clearly portrays that fear of what’s to come, attempting to protect herself, struggling to accept their situation, while still being the quintessential matriarch supporting the family.
Between Breath & Silence captures what it means to be truly unmoored by illness and loss. The filmmakers do a fantastic job of committing to creating something honest and humble, portraying the everyday reality. The emotion is sincere, the story is moving, and both Thomas Sargeant’s performance and writing nicely capture the many unknowns, uncertainties and difficulties which go along with that life-altering experience. Particularly in how emotionally complicated it is to have something good happen in your life at the same time as going through something awful. There’s a great number of layers to the story, and they all work very naturally, considering there’s a lot to fit into fifteen minutes. The cinematography (from Paul Mortlock) is strong, there’s a great score from Richard Collins, touching performances across the board and thoughtful, empathetic direction from Nicole Pott.
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