Sara and the Animals

“Sara and the Animals” is a short that follows Sara Schrader, a 20-year-old who, still in the emotional aftermath of her mother’s sudden death, is thrust into the adult world by her grief-stricken father.

 

After Sara’s attempts at grown-up normalcy fail, she happens upon a group of masked mystical journeyers who are in the lead-up to a drug-fueled, hallucinogenic ritual. The group’s leader, who dons a wolf mask, invites the still-shaken Sara to take part in their strange reverie.

 

What follows is an internal exploration of trauma, its hold on Sara’s psyche, and how uncovered versions of herself might aid her growth through world-altering loss.

 

Joel wrote and directed this film.