Between Breath & Silence

In Nicole Pott’s short film, Between Breath & Silence, she commits to writer Tom Sargeant’s deeply personal story about his father and making the most of every opportunity.

Tom (Thomas Sargeant) is dropped off by his boyfriend, Matt (Kris Mochrie). The situation is grim, and he bears that burden when he arrives at his parents’ home. His mom, Sandra (Angela Lonsdale), is standing in the kitchen and tells him his dad, Paul (Graeme Hawley), has taken a turn for the worse.

When Tom and Sandra arrive at the hospital, Dr. Khan (Manjinder Virk) delivers news nobody wants to hear. The cancer in his lung has spread, and his liver is starting to fail. There’s nothing more the hospital can do, and from here it’s about keeping him comfortable.

“The cancer in his lung has spread, and his liver is starting to fail.”

Paul goes into hospice care, and nurse Dawn (Connie Hyde) is assigned to his care. Soon, Tom’s brother, Ryan (Sam Retford), shows up, and the two nearly come to blows out of frustration over how uninvolved the other had been. As the days pass, Paul drifts in and out of consciousness. Tom’s relationship with Matt weighs heavily on his heart because he never told his dad about it, unsure how his father would accept his boyfriend.

Watching a loved one die over an extended period is never easy, and I’ve gone through it twice. Filmmaker Pott walks us through the hospice care process, and Sargeant’s script outlines all the emotions and questions that come into play as things take a turn for the worse. Sargeant also adds that the situation he found himself in was something he wanted so much to tell his father about, the best thing in his life…his partner.

Sargeant’s story serves as a strong foundation for brilliant performances by the entire cast. No one is acting, but they are all feeling the right emotional beat at the moment. In the end, Between Breath & Silence tells a powerful story, letting all of us watching a loved one pass know we’re not alone.