‘Rock-a-bye‘ is more than a short film with a feminist message, it’s a project about gaining your own freedom. Director Spencer Anderson speaks candidly about empowerment and coming to terms with one’s destiny in a story that touches both through the work of the actors and the emotional depth of the female protagonist. Thus, despite the relatively conventional premise dealing with the eternal war of the sexes, the director focuses on the imbalances within a toxic relationship, highlighting the depth and deceit of calculated manipulation aimed at eroding the other person’s individuality. In this sense, the relationship between the characters unveils the hidden side of the “true feelings” shared within a couple, ultimately exposing the cruel intentions of one partner. For them, the other’s freedom is not only a privilege they believe they are entitled to but also a tool to unlawfully exploit for personal gain. A misogynistic mentality serves as the backdrop for this brief examination of a toxic couple, culminating in the female character’s liberation.
Carla feels helpless in the face of her lover Clay, who is planning an act that could have catastrophic consequences. What can she do: blindly follow her partner who claims to love her, or find a way to save herself at the risk of losing everything she has?
Beyond its narrative progression, occasionally driven by thriller-like tension, Spencer Anderson’s short film shines in its portrayal of the characters’ ability to convey the inner conflicts underpinning a manipulator-victim relationship. Nonverbal language plays a crucial role, executed brilliantly through the precise details captured by the camera’s eye and the nuanced performances of the two actors. They skillfully embody archetypes symptomatic of the modern couple’s crisis, shaped by aberrant stereotypes. At the same time, the cinematography is supported by a professional creative team that homogenizes all the components into a tender and intense experience. The coherence and authenticity with which it offers a statement on the courage to assume one’s own destiny makes ‘Rock-a-bye’ a necessary short film that convinced us of the potential of a fresh directorial vision.
