‘Posies ‘: Am I a Bad Person? {Short Movie Review}

It is absolutely wonderful to stumble across a piece of art that seems to meet you where you’re at, stare right through you, and hold your hand while letting you know it understands. This is the feeling that lingers after watching Posies. Written by R. H. Stavis and directed by Stavis and Katherine Fisher, Posies is a dark, twisted, and beautiful short film that follows Maddy (Anna Diop) as she navigates a world where she, and others, are literally deteriorating. Attempting to cover up the progression of her skin peeling apart, Maddy shoves flower petals under her visible wounds. An act that feels both like self-care and a balm that won’t soothe. Meeting her partner Jack (Andy Favreau) for a final date of sorts, Maddy begins confessing every moment in her life where she has done something horrible. 

I am not surprised that Jack’s response to Maddy’s confessional was one of misunderstanding. It’s hard to understand those of us who wake up every day wondering if we are bad people. Taking the time to sort through ancient memories of everything we’ve ever done to prove it. Any emotional support from others will seem to have missed the bar. This type of self-criticism is complicated to share with others. Undeterred by Maddy’s brutal honesty, Jack takes her home. They begin to get physical when Jack sees the disease Maddy has tried to hide. Causing a final climax that is both surprising and fitting.

Posies is perfect in almost every way. The push and pull of constantly wondering if there is something wrong with you. The stress of always disregarding your circumstances, of refusing to understand yourself, of isolating, will eat you up. And devour others.

Posies premiered at the LA Shorts International Film Festival. Catch it in the line-up here. It is not one to miss.

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Author

Carissa Jean Mares is a graduate of the Independent Publishing Resource Center’s Comics Program and a founding member of Soft Skills Comics – a cartoonist collective rooted in niceness. She is a screenwriter currently working out of Portland, Oregon, with much love for her East Coast roots.  Carissa is also a member of Women In Film PDX, the Couch Collective, and the International Screenwriters’ Association. Most of her artwork focuses on the incorporation and release of trauma, and she finds this best expressed in her favorite genre films. ​