As we wander through the twisting paths of our lives, what do we carry with us? And what are the breadcrumbs we drop along the way, the pieces of ourselves we leave behind so those who come after may know us?

Our letters, our artwork, our smiles, our voices. Our struggles and the heavy burdens we carry.

These struggles shape and define us just as our brighter aspects do, and sometimes our pain is what sticks in the minds of those around us, that reminds the world that something needs to change.

But a life is a life, not merely a catalyst – the films in this program remind us of this. Whether we struggle to find our voice amidst questions of identity or familial duties, whether we experience the horrors of illness, corruption, or war, we are still human, and should be seen fully and completely as such.

Sophia Bazalgette