A Story for My Children

Determined to lose her virginity before heading off to college, Daisy (played by writer/director Sara Sedran) tries to convince her unsuspecting best friend Cole (Massi Pregoni) that it would be best for the both of them if they took the opportunity to do this together while her parents are away.

A Story for My Children is a film with a lot more going on than first impressions might imply. It’s fun and energetic start sets a certain tone early on that we might be in for a short and simple zippy young comedy offering a few funny antics, awkward fumbles and endearing mishaps along the way. There are elements of that of course, and the film could have probably bounced along quite happily for its seven minutes doing just that and delivered something simple yet still very much enjoyable. But it’s surprising depth and maturity, which seeps in effortlessly as the film progresses, means it’s got a lot more to offer than just that.

Initially, Daisy is full steam ahead with her unassailable idea, attacking what she assumed would be a very matter-of-fact business transaction between two parties with all the exuberance of youth. But when the emotions soon start to get in the way of her best laid plans, it’s then that the film shows its strength and profundity while we watch these two young people struggle to navigate a very mature decision and are in turn forced to confront some very real questions of each other and their relationship.

Sedran themselves has stated “the need to focus on the narrative and not fancy equipment or a large film crew. I believe that the screenplay is the most important component of a film, then comes the rest” which shows here, that dedication to good old-fashioned storytelling being the key reason we connect with Daisy and Cole so well in such a short space of time. The film strikes a good balance between the light and the more serious, never undervaluing the importance of its subject matter but never over-stating it either and while the film might not be truly bold at any point, it is steady handed, well thought out and concise in its execution, with real consideration for the story it wants to tell and with a pair of very credible performances that bolsters and ties everything together nicely, both Pregoni and Sedran conveying all the excitement, fear, anxiety and confusion of the situation through their nuanced performances and palpable chemistry with ease.

A Story for my Children ticks a lot of the right boxes in just seven minutes, and it’s an encouraging start for Sedran’s future behind the camera as well.