Dylan Trupiano’s Recesses is a profoundly moving short film that offers a poignant and intricately layered exploration of hidden childhood trauma, delicately navigating the complex intersection of pain and repression.

The story centers on Sherry (Solia Cates), a compassionate school secretary who stays behind with Bailey (Charles John Wilson), a young student disciplined for creating an “inappropriate” drawing. As their time together unfolds within the confined space of the school office, the film slowly peels back layers to reveal a painful and haunting past that continues to shape Bailey’s emotional world. Trupiano’s sensitive direction masterfully captures the unspoken tension and vulnerability that Bailey suffers through, illustrating how trauma can silently manifest through repression.

Recesses deftly handles a difficult subject matter without resorting to overt exposition. Instead, the film employs dreamlike, surreal imagery interwoven seamlessly with the narrative, creating an impressionistic feel that echoes the fragmented, elusive nature of hidden trauma. This abstraction invites the audience into Bailey’s internal experience, reflecting the invisible struggles that children like him face, often unseen and misunderstood by the adults around them.

The performances by Cates and Wilson bring authenticity and emotional depth to the story, grounding the film’s more ethereal moments in genuine human connection. Sherry’s quiet empathy and Bailey’s fragile vulnerability create a delicate balance that highlights the small but significant ways educators can offer sanctuary and understanding in environments where children’s voices frequently go unheard. Recesses is a vital, thought-provoking film that challenges viewers to reconsider how childhood trauma is experienced and addressed, while honouring the quiet heroes who help children navigate these unseen recesses of pain. The short will make its premiere at the HollyShorts Film Festival this August.

Rachel Sinclair