Introduction:
Through the Bath Water is an experimental short film exploring the embodied experience of healing after sexual assault. Shot on 35mm, the film externalises the emotional and physical journey of reclaiming a sense of safety, vulnerability, and connection with your body.
Through poetic imagery and an immersive visual language, it examines how trauma is carried, confronted, and ultimately transformed into resilience and self-acceptance.
Inspiration:
As a young woman, I’ve experienced many moments of feeling disconnected from my own body, as though I lacked ownership over it. Those experiences inspired me to make this film as a way of externalising a struggle that many women face but rarely see represented.
Through Body of Water, I want to explore the process of reconnecting with oneself, acknowledging vulnerability while also recognising the strength that can emerge from it.
The Process:
Body of Water was filmed in Los Angeles as part of my Master’s in Cinematography at AFI.
Shot entirely on 35mm in an abandoned house, the film uses its textured environment to support its intimate and emotional visual language. Water was central to the film’s aesthetic, so we used a specialist lens with built-in prisms and an image rotator to capture images close to the surface of the bath, creating subtle distortions that echoed the character’s emotional journey. For the underwater shot, we filmed through a water-filled fish tank to create the illusion of the camera being submerged. Shooting with water on film was a challenge, but enabled us to be creative in our approach.
What It Means to Be a Finalist:
Body of Water explores a deeply personal and sensitive subject, so having the film acknowledged and shared with an audience is a rewarding experience. I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue conversations around trauma, healing, and reconnecting with the body.
Where to Watch / Follow (50 words):
Find the film on my website at https://www.willowbidwell.com/
Instagram @willow_bidwell
About The Author
