Florence Bouvy’s Where We Stay (2024) is an intimate portrait of unspoken love that is finally brought into the open through tragic circumstances. The story centers on Carry and Daniel, two close friends who have spent their lifetimes skirting around their true feelings for each other, but now as Carry lies on his deathbed, time is running out for them to finally confront what has always been left unsaid.

Anchored by quiet performances and emotionally resonant storytelling, this short is a triumph of human connection in its rawest form. It’s a deceptively simple premise, but Bouvy uses it to explore a deeper message about longing, regret and how we process grief. Emmanuel Ohene Boafo and Michael Muller give fantastic lead performances, natural, tender and vulnerable without descending to any kind of sentimentality.

Were We Stay is a stunning queer drama about the tragedies of miscommunication and missed chances that can befall any relationship. The film does not shy away from the pain of loss, but it also decisively examines the other complex and often beautiful emotions that can flourish in these moments of heartbreak. At just under 20 minutes, Florence Bouvy manages to capture what many feature-length films struggle to: the bittersweet beauty of love that arrives too late, but arrives nonetheless.

Arthur Wetherspoon

Rating: 4/5