Project Detail

Dolls Can't Cry

Aneta Nowicka

Synopsis

Seven years ago, Faith dumped her rape child on her sister. Now, pregnant with a second child, she desperately wants her daughter back. But, her boyfriend and her sister have conspired to have the girl adopted. Agoraphobic and bordering on the edge of sanity, Faith's seemingly hopeless attempts to win her daughter's trust result in disaster. Haunted by demons and unable to accept her past or her present, Faith's only solace is a childhood dollhouse, a fantasy space where 'bad things never happen'. A place where she plays at being a real mother. Luring her daughter into this make-believe world, the dolls begin to reveal themselves as thin veil covering the shocking secrets of her past. With reality crashing in on her, she finally has to face the truth about herself. A revelation that will transform her life.

Thrown straight into the emotional turmoil of the Faith's fragmented and disturbing world, the narrative gradually reveals itself as the pieces fit together. Told in a distinctive visual style through Faith's distorted perspective, we experience her anger, horror, fear, pain, and finally joy as she battles to be a real mother.

Visit Film Website

Details

Year: 2012
Type of project: Features
Running time: 83min
Format: HDCAM
Director: Aleksandra Czenczek
Producer: Alistair Ayres
Editor: Marcin Erol, Aleksandra Czenzek
Screenwriter: Alistair Ayres, Aleksandra Czenczek
Director of Photography: Tomek Borokowski
Production Designer: Annalisa Andriani
Sound: Nico Metten
Composer: Jordan Gilmour
Principal cast: Lara Belmont, Eden Nathenson, Daniel Sommerford, Barbara Joslyn

Genre

Woman Director Drama

Production Status

Complete

Production Company

Modalfish Productions Ltd

Visit Website

www.modalfish.co.uk

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

Suggest amendments

A rescue dummy gets forgotten at the bottom of a swimming pool. Behind his single expression, a whirlwind of emotions flood his plastic carcass as he fantasies about being picked up and brought to the surface in the strong and reassuring arms of a swimmer. Official Selection London Short Film Festival 2026

Fantasy Romance

Shall We Meet Tonight

Director: Wapah Ezeigwe

Year: 2025

The film narrates the complex journey of a young woman as she is promised in an arranged marriage to a wealthy aristocrat. As she navigates this new social landscape, she unexpectedly finds herself drawn towards another woman from her town. This secret affection creates a conflict within her, torn between fulfilling her marital duties and following her heart. Through its poignant portrayal of love in the face of societal expectations, the movie explores themes of identity, independence, and the struggle for authentic connection amidst tradition-bound constraints. As the protagonist grapples with these competing forces in her life, viewers are drawn into a captivating tale of self-discovery and the courage to embrace one's own desires. Official Selection BFI Flare LGBTQIA+ Film Festival 2025

LGBTQIA+ Romance