There’s something strangely unsettling about walking into the Drama Studio and instead of being greeted by elaborately complex set pieces or large props, finding 2 bright orange chairs in the black void of the performance space. Stripped back taken to extremes, the set-up hides every detail, even the craftsmanship of the baptistry pillars hidden by a projector screen, in this minimalist’s paradise of an Off The Shelf venue. It inspired a certain…disquiet in me, that was only set to be compounded further
Showcasing Born on Sunday Silent, a film written originally as a short story by Sheffield-based Désirée Reynolds, the screening and subsequent talk takes audiences into the world of Black Gothic, a unique genre telling untold stories and the true horror lying in their mere existence in a former colonial power. Speaking about its messages and inspiration, Reynolds’ reflected on the difficulties of “meet[ing] the demands of ancestors who have been erased from history”, with the story focusing on a young girl buried in an unmarked grave in Sheffield General Cemetery.
Whilst making clear the importance of institutions such as libraries, Reynolds was not afraid to point out their shortcomings, particularly in archival work, where we “end up looking at abolition before we look at what happened before”. Focusing on the emotional connection the story has with its creators and audience members, including one bringing up their interpretation of the story’s relationship between oppressor and oppressed, the film, whilst having some issues with pacing, clearly struck a chord with many in the stalls, watching an unsettling story that in many ways parallels true lived experiences.
Reynolds was also keen to share the importance of true and accurate narratives entering spaces typically dominated by white, male, colonial powers, speaking of her own insertion into “spaces where they don’t really want” other voices, often resulting in the missing pieces of our historical puzzle which Reynolds exposes so fluently. The symbolism of a character needing to be let out of the cemetery by another was particularly notable to me, as if these stories need external permission to be shared with the world – “there is a great chance that you might be actively erased”.
Born on Sunday Silent has much to say about our world in such a short runtime, the true power of horror and Black Gothic themes emerging not from imparting a sense of terror, but Reynolds’ preferred disquiet. The connection between many of the audience to this story, its creators and more speaks volumes to the importance of sharing tales like this, and the real-life people who inspire such powerful works. Feeling suitably disquieted, this film, and its creator, are as inspiring as their words are sobering.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Born on Sunday Silent was released in 2024. Other Off the Shelf Festival events can be found here
