Lady & the Watches

I was coming out of a difficult relationship and decided to mark the occasion by buying myself a watch. There was something strangely comforting about wearing something my former partner didn’t know about. Something that belonged entirely to me. It felt almost like marking my body, a small declaration that I was different.

Then, in my next relationship, I did the same thing. Before long, I had a little collection of watches that was beginning to horrify me. I eventually made the very sensible decision not to continue down that particular path, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something in the idea worth exploring. It felt ripe for a parable.

The image of someone drowning in a room full of watches was where the story really began. What started as a short story gradually became a film about the ways we conflate invulnerability with independence. And how lonely we can be.

I was fortunate enough to collaborate with Deniz, an incredibly talented artist who had recently graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. What followed was a deeply nourishing and loving creative collaboration, and ultimate friendship. We worked on the project for around four years, constantly going back and forth, questioning ideas, finding new ones, and slowly crafting the world of the film together.

Of course, it is possible to have a beautiful, independent, fulfilling life on your own. But ultimately, I believe it is our connection to other people that gives those things their deepest meaning.