Making its international debut at SXSW, Lucy Davidson’s short film Baggage offers a clever, humorous, and touching outlook on female friendship, vulnerability, and the struggles we often keep hidden from the world. Through the art of stop-motion animation, Davidson brings to life a story that is both simple and profound, highlighting how emotional baggage can weigh us down.
The film follows three friends at an airport, each represented by a different type of luggage, with the contents of each serving as a metaphor for the internal struggles and emotional baggage they carry. The first bag is relatively light, the second carries a mix of lighter and more complex issues, while the third bag, labeled “heavy,” is overflowing with internal insecurities. A security guard rummages aggressively through the contents, with items like a TV remote labelled “control freak” and a bottle labeled “bottled-up emotions” serving as clever visual cues to represent inner judgements. The specificity of many of these items will offer viewers a reassuring sense of recognition and connection to their own struggles.
Will offer viewers a reassuring sense of recognition and connection
Jigsaw-like set pieces, made of wood and designed with pivoting pieces, add a tactile charm that feels both whimsical and grounded. By limiting the colour palette to black and white, Davidson further enhances the minimalist, stripped-back aesthetic of the film, ensuring that the emotional narrative will remain the focal point for viewers that can be grasped within five minutes. Baggage is full of charm, heart, and technical skill – a film that is sure to captivate audiences and leave them feeling seen and grateful for the friendships they have in their lives.
Baggage is full of charm, heart, and technical skill
Theo Ashford
