If cinema is not only a way of exploring the challenges of human destiny but also a means of healing, then ‘Say My Name‘ is by far a worthy endeavour. All the more so since Rhoyce Nova’s short film is based on a true story and, by implication, doesn’t hesitate to portray some of the most violent and mean-spirited human manifestations in a cruel light. This film portrays intense suffering, which may come as a shock to viewers who are used to the polished, feel-good narratives commonly found in mainstream cinema. The cathartic ending that mainstream audiences often expect is not the director’s priority. Instead, Rhoyce Nova chooses to embrace a raw, unfiltered authenticity. Thus, the universe that opens before us is often uncomfortably similar to the world we sometimes refuse to accept. It is a world that has nothing to do with the rigours of a Hollywood story, a world in which ogres and dragons are not always punished by the defenders of good. But beyond all this plunge into human misery, a glimmer of hope could rehabilitate a tormented soul.
After a childhood marked by physical and sexual abuse orchestrated by her father, a young woman is thrown out of her home. Faced with a destiny marked at every turn by human misery and cruelty, suicide seems the only way out. Or maybe not.
