Twins Larry and Terry Ziegelman wrote and directed Broken Vessels. The short film chronicles Jane (Alicia Blasingame) as she battles cancer. One day at the hospital, she meets the perky Naomi (Cathy Vu), who is dressed as Wonder Woman. The two hit it off instantly, making their chemo sessions a little less lonely.
Unfortunately, Jane still feels alone at home even though she’s married to Scott (Aaron Gaffey). Instead of caring for her during this harrowing time, Scott abuses and berates Jane. But as “chemo-brain” begins to set in, she can no longer differentiate between reality and fantasy. Are her visions of morphing into a monster real? Can Jane redirect the flow of blood? Will these powers, along with her newfound friend in Naomi, help Jane stand up for herself against Scott?
“Instead of caring for her during this harrowing time, Scott abuses and berates Jane.”
Broken Vessels is heavy but beautiful. The effects are exquisite, with the blood stopping in the air being a particularly artful moment. The sequence wherein Jane dreams (or is it real) of herself in a bath and emerges as an orange-glowing creature is both creepy and pure dynamite, a testament to the film’s stunning visual effects and cinematography.
Blasingame is perfectly cast as the woman whose worst thing in life is not the cancer she’s battling. She’s peppy, scared, mad, and instantly likable. Gaffey is terrifying and hatable. Vu is funny, sweet, and charming. Their performances bring these characters to life, making us appreciate the depth and complexity of their roles.
Broken Vessels looks at what it takes for real people to become superheroes. The Ziegelmans direct with style, highlighting the horror and drama well. Blasingame is brilliant and sells every wild turn. While the emotional toll is a lot, this film is more than worth the price of admission.
Broken Vessels screened at the 2024 Seattle Film Festival.
"…heavy but beautiful."
