interiorem pueri (Inner Child): A Reverse Coming-of-Age Tale Of Finding Closure

Directed by Emily Lerer, interiorem pueri is a 09:52-minute short that is a visual spectacle of one’s journey through childhood. An intense narration, followed by stellar performances by Beatrice (Teresa Catherine) and Bea (Sloane Cherry), interiorem pueri is a one-of-a-kind film that pulls at one’s heartstrings. Heavily influenced by a gendered perspective, the film offers an illustration of not just childhood as we know it, but also of what it means to be an adult in the contemporary world.

Teresa Catherine’s writing brings forth a tight screenplay. There’s no room for vagueness. When Beatrice drives through the forlorn desert towards an abandoned bunker, the harshness of the desolate landscape is not lost on the viewer. That, along with the blaring music that she chimes along with offers a wonderful setting to the film. This is about dichotomy. There’s a sereness to the isolation, be it in her car or the mountains that lies ahead of her. The blue-toned hills and the vastness of the sandy-brown beneath her feet sets a preamble to the world she now belongs to. It’s in shades of either-or, with no room for shadows.

Catherine is terrific as Beatrice. There’s a veiled harshness that she brings to her character that is convincing. There’s bluntness to her voice that is earned from years of being an adult in an unforgiving world, and, so, when we enter the bunker, nothing prepares us for the brightness that awaits. Bea, the little Beatrice played by Cherry is striking. And, set her against the hues of pink, the juxtaposition of it is unmissable.

Cinematographer Carrie Morgan Glassman’s camera balances the glumness against the light within. As the camera moves expertly through Beatrice’s journey, tracing her time with Bea, we get the hint. She is embarking on a journey of self discovery, of coming home, but with an outcome that is least expected. Without giving away any spoilers, it would be safe to say that interiorem pueri is not for idle watching. This is intimate, raw and thought-provoking, warranting multiple views. Erika Gruner Cox’s refined editing maintains the pace of the film, giving enough time to the audience to engage, absorb and get disenchanted with. The final music says it all, the lyrics of which sum up Beatrice’s journey.

Moving, soul-stirring, Emily Lerer’s interiorem pueri is a must watch for those invested in this genre and a fitting tribute to the inner child in us all.

Watch interiorem pueri (inner child) Short Film Trailer