Filmmaker Statement

In making Paired & Parted, I set out to create an exploration of control, power, and revenge through the lens of a surreal cult. Too often, narratives around sexual assault rely on male saviors or institutions to resolve the conflict. This story flips that script, focusing instead on the power of collective feminine rage and the explosive consequences when it’s unleashed. The film's visual language draws heavily from Baroque art, particularly the work of Artemisia Gentileschi, whose paintings transform her pain into raw, defiant beauty. Her unapologetic depiction of women reclaiming agency deeply inspired my approach to the aesthetic and emotional tones of this film. Paired & Parted is not just a tale of betrayal and reckoning; it’s a celebration of resistance and the strength that emerges when the silenced refuse to stay silent. I hope the film invites audiences to question the systems of control we take for granted and embrace the messy, transformative power of breaking free.