Crowning

It is just another “day in the life” of a pregnant woman in Hannah May Jessop’s short film, Crowning. Jessop plays the pregnant woman, who starts her day with a stroll in the parks and a prawn sandwich for lunch on a park bench. She then steps into a boutique to try on a pretty maternity dress and enjoy a little attention and compliments from the saleswoman. After a bout of nausea, the woman says she needs to head home to her husband, but not before a stop at the liquor store for a bottle of wine. With drink in hand, the woman relaxes over a few sips and Cardi B’s WAP.

“…a pregnant woman’s identity and the heightened levels of self-esteem and attention…”

If this story sounds a little boring, it’s not. There’s a reveal in the end that gives context and falls squarely into spoiler territory. I’ll just say that Jessop’s film hits on themes of a pregnant woman’s identity and the heightened levels of self-esteem and attention associated with being pregnant. Crowning is a simple story with a point to make, and Jessop never overplays her hand in telling her story.