In Mike Clarke’s short film, Make Believe, single mother Shelly (Sophia Leanne Kelly) struggles to make it from one day to the next and provide even a simple meal for her daughter, Daisy (Anastasia Hesketh). When the bailiff comes to their flat, Shelly hides with Daisy behind the couch and tells her to play Sleeping Beauty until the danger passes. Daisy only “wakes up” when Shelly kisses her.
The next day, Shelly takes Daisy to visit her friend Debs (Kelsey Dee), hoping to borrow money. While the two chat about how difficult life has become, Daisy wanders off and ends up watching cartoons with Debs’ new boyfriend, Col (Jacob Anderton), who begins using drugs in front of her.
When Daisy says she is hungry, they go to the market. Shelly leaves her by the princess toys, but Daisy strays into another aisle. Shelly devises a plan to get some quick cash, but it requires Daisy to lie down like Sleeping Beauty to serve as a distraction.
“Shelly hides with Daisy behind the couch and tells her to play Sleeping Beauty until the danger passes.”
Make Believe is a story that draws a sharp distinction between the innocence of a child against the harsh realities of life. Shelly would do anything not only to feed Daisy but also to shield her—not just from danger, but from having to experience adult hardships at such a young age.
What filmmaker Mike Clarke does so effectively is tap into our sympathies straightaway. From the start, we see Shelly, who loves her daughter and is constantly searching for a bit of fortune just to make it through the day. Here we see that Shelly and Daisy are out of luck. Sophia Leanne Kelly makes us feel Shelly’s frustration and desperation, along with a mother’s love for her daughter.
Ultimately, Make Believe does exactly what good films need to do, which is to make its audience feel, and in this case, the story of Shelly and Daisy will make you feel for the plight of many mothers and children long after the final frame.
"…does exactly what good films need to do, which is to make its audience feel..."
