SHORT FILM: ‘Skindiving’ by Victoria DeMartin

Directors Statement: Skindiving observes an introverted woman in the process of escaping from a manipulative relationship and starting her life anew. However, the tranquility she finds in this transition is peppered with interruptions from her past, which she cannot easily escape. In this film, we observe a woman who does not let the audience know what she is thinking and so we, the audience, and the other characters cast our own judgements. She keeps us at arms length and we do not know if what we are seeing is her reality or her fantasy. As a writer/director, this film was departure from my usual, more linear narrative films. I was very much inspired by films such as Lynne Ramsay’s Morvern Callar and Claire Denis’ Beau Travail. This film was made in 2017 and there are many aspects of it that I would direct differently now, but I am very grateful for the opportunity to have made it, learned from it, and worked with this very talented cast and crew.