This is a short film directed and edited by Kyle Anne Grendys. It tells the story of her life with Fraser Syndrome, a rare recessive gene disorder, and the connections she makes by finding and befriending other people with the same syndrome. It’s made in a sort of ‘home video’ style, so the actual production of the film is part of the story. There are lots of people who played a part in the making of this film, Grendys interviews many with Fraser syndrome and their family members.
The film is just under 20 minutes and is set in a multitude of places as Grendys travels around the world to meet and interview people.
The message of this film is a brilliant one, I had never even heard of Fraser syndrome before I watched it, showing how effective it could be in spreading awareness. It approaches the syndrome not as a huge hindrance that destroys someone's daily life but as something ‘normal’ to them, as Grendys says throughout the film. This gives the film a positive tone with a hopeful message without completely disregarding the hardships. Kyle explains the Syndrome in a simple way making it accessible to anyone. By interviewing families as well as those with Fraser syndrome, the films shows us the bigger picture by including multiple perspectives.
The content of the film is great but the sequencing feels at times disjointed as if scenes are in the wrong order. I found myself filling in the blanks where introductions to segments could have been used: it was often not clear where they (Grendys and her father) were or where they were going. The film could benefit from more subtitles as sound quality and accents make it difficult to understand in parts.
Simple things like jumping from really upbeat music into a melancholic scene can give the viewer a bit of whiplash. An example of this is the beginning of the film when Kyle introduces herself and shows the beginning of her trip before rewinding to her birth and an interview with her parents featuring sad music. This choice seems to contradict the original upbeat tone of the film.
Overall, I enjoyed this film and enjoyed learning about something new. I like how personal it is, showing Grendys and her dad on a journey to meet others with Fraser Syndrome.
Reviewed by Emily Ann Mullally