Ari is a disabled mixed-race writer who loves to tell bittersweet stories. He specializes in blending dark comedy and horror to highlight culturally diverse journeys surrounding mental health and identity. Born in Colorado, Ari graduated as an engineer and Boettcher Scholar, however, his undying love for film and television brought him into the industry. 

My goal behind this short was to create a "feeling" of chaos, anxiety, disorientation, and rage. I tried playing with framing, editing, color, sound, and music, all to help capture the muted trauma and stress of "keeping it together", and what happens when you can't hold it in anymore. A little window into someone's horrible day. 

I also love and prioritize practical effects, and this was a way for me to try my hand at it. My inspirations for this project were, of course, Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead I and II", but also "The Lighthouse" (2019), "Watcher" (2022), "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974), "X" (2022), "Gerald's Game" (2017), "Possessor" (2020), and "Perfect Blue" (1997). I also took a lot of inspiration from German Expressionism to exaggerate emotional moments.

When I was 25, I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. To put it briefly, I grew up in an abusive household, and because of it, I struggle with emotional dysregulation. It’s like constant Bipolar, the “Bipolar Express.” I’ve worked hard on healing through therapy, medicine, and support and have made leaps and bounds. I've had to relearn all the things as an adult that should've been taught to me when I was young. 

This story has been a collaborative discussion and effort of many survivors of domestic abuse, and I wanted to find a way to share how those emotions feel in their entire visceral extremities. Survivors have expressed struggles in regulating intense rage and emotions, which usually derive from a sense of protecting oneself or others. One symptom of BPD is cathartic rage, a projection of defensive anger that has built up over time, that suddenly may be released. This rage is often never violent (BPD individuals often direct the violence onto themselves; self-harm), however, the “rage” is a frightening experience for both the individual with BPD and the receiver. Through DBT therapy, I have been able to control these situations. Working as a mental health advocate, people have shared stories of sudden onset trauma release towards friends, coworkers, or even strangers. Screaming, yelling, hitting walls, etc. I have often heard from survivors, "What if someone were to attack me, what would happen?" I wanted to capture that emotion in this short: the fear, defensive rage, the catharsis, the exhaustion, all of it.