A woman speaks for the last time to the child she never knew in Mat Sheldon’s short film, The Electricity in Me.
Set in a cold, empty office space in a cold, empty town in Saskatchewan, Ellora Torchia plays Joan Stockdale, director Sheldon’s biological mother. Sitting in her office chair, Joan speaks to the camera words of regret to her son. Involved in an affair with her professor (whom she refers to as “my monster”), Joan was left abandoned and with no choice but to give her son up for adoption. At age 37, Joan passed after a losing battle with metastatic cancer.
“A woman speaks for the last time to the child she never knew…”
Joan’s words speak of the loneliness and isolation she feels. Upon hearing the news of her pregnancy, the “monster” walked away, leaving Joan feeling used and discarded. Yet, she speaks of the yearning that one day the “veil of numb” will be lifted and the hopeful dream of embracing her son and “dissolving” the tumors away.
The Electricity in Me is an emotionally heart-wrenching piece. Ellora Torchia’s performance brings the right amount of emotion and empathy to Joan’s story considering that neither Torchia nor director Sheldon had ever met her. Torchia’s performance is simply brilliant as she finds that emotional connection to Stockdale’s hopeful regret and honors Stockdale in the end. Likewise, Sheldon brings the right visual palette to his isolated winter setting.
The Electricity in Me is an excellent example of finding the raw emotion of a person’s story and finding a way to connect with their life.
For more information about The Electricity in Me, visit the Aesthetik Film website.
