Aftersun

Like Sophie, I have a dad who dealt with and continues to deal with depression. In similar ways to Calum, he has tried to deal with depression through meditation, prayer, medication, and drug use. In more times than I can count, I have recollected times in which my dad’s mood has changed drastically in a matter of minutes, and not always because of any particular reason, but because he was dealing with depression in ways I could not understand. The thought of him not being fully present in moments of my childhood taints the memories I have, as I try to determine which parts were genuine. Words can’t describe the pain I felt watching this movie. How beautifully it is portrayed, but how sick it makes you feel as the rush of melancholy hits you in the stomach. It was so easy for me to overlook what life was like for my parents. How hard it must be to give up your life as no longer your own. Everything shifted for them so suddenly. And because everything changed from the time we were born, both children and adults are learning, adapting, and growing through experiences that are entirely new.