Paint

In Mora Carew’s short film, Paint, Julian (Vincent Washington) is a talented but troubled artist struggling to complete a new painting for the prestigious Smith Institute residency, after being chosen from among thousands of submissions. His sister Alanna (Kayla Green), who secretly submitted his work to the competition, visits before leaving on a business trip and encourages him to stay focused, though he confesses that his best work came during a time when he was off his medication. Julian struggles with the side effects of his current medication regimen, which dampens his inspiration.

While working a side job painting faces at a children’s birthday party, Julian’s disconnection from his surroundings becomes clear when the kids dislike his work. There, he unexpectedly runs into his ex-girlfriend, Crystal (Taylor Cannon), and her young son, sparking a possible reconnection and bringing back memories of the issues that tore them apart.

As the opening night of the exhibit approaches, Julian visits the Smith Institute to prepare for the event. Instead of finding reassurance, he encounters an unsettling revelation that sends him spiraling deeper into his mental health struggles. With his creativity and emotional stability hanging in the balance, Julian faces a critical moment where his personal demons threaten to overshadow his artistic breakthrough.

Alanna (Kayla Green) and Julian (Vincent Washington) share a quiet moment in Paint.

“Julian struggles with the side effects of his current medication regimen, which dampens his inspiration.”

Paint is a thought-provoking experience in the best way. Films like this should tackle an issue plaguing society and wrestle with it. First, there’s the idea of art and insanity. The fact that Julian’s best piece was created while “off his meds” says a lot about the lengths we’ll go to for art.

Then there’s the mental health aspect of the short. For many, psych meds are necessary to feel balanced in life, but does that mean a person truly feels normal? It also questions what is normal and whether there are alternatives that can help us find a middle ground between being out of control and being too lax to have control.

As a film, Paint looks cinematic. Solid enough to allow audiences to focus on writer/director Mora Carew’s story. Vincent Washington gives authenticity to the portrayal of someone with bipolar disorder and sometimes struggling with alcohol. What I loved most about the message is what it says about how we can come to many different conclusions, and it’s the struggle presented in the film that will get us there.