Directed by Maximiliano Braun
Music by Sacha Puttnam
Rebekah has been trying to recover from the traumatic events that shaped her life and behaviour for the better part of 50 years. "Love, Rebekah" takes you into the intimacy of her journey of love, relationships and her mental illness. She shares intimate moments of her everyday life: her thoughts, feelings and emotions that allow you to witness the pain and the stigma of mental illness.
It’s the end of spring outside.
The wind is still.
She lays on her sofa-bed in the living room. The apartment has two floors. Photographs dot the room's shelves.
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¦ a ¦
¦ boy ¦
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¦ a ¦ ¦ a ¦
¦ girl ¦ ¦ boy ¦
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She wakes up suddenly, frightened.
She tries to sleep again.
Flashbacks to another time.
Another place.
Eventually she shuffles to the kitchen and makes some lunch. She sits to eat her lunch and begins to talk about a song entitled Chitthi Aayi Hai by Pankaj Udhas. It speaks of a letter sent from India to a relative living and working abroad to earn money for their family back home and pleads for them to return home.
We begin here
-------- The children in the
¦ a ¦ photographs are hers.
¦ boy ¦
¦ ¦
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¦ a ¦ ¦ a ¦
¦ girl ¦ ¦ boy ¦
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These rooms are not empty, but no one lives in them.
We learn her children no longer live with her. Her eldest, the child of an arranged marriage to a man from Bangladesh, hasn't been in touch with Rebekah for more than a decade. She wishes to see him again.
Her younger son visits her occasionally. He left her a note recently and it reads:
'Hi mum
Sorry were not here to say goodbye [...] hope you have a nice relax on your retreat [...] by the way you need another bin liner as you ran out.
Thanks again and love you lots'
Her mental ill health ensures Rebekah lives on her own. The father of her second son took both of her boys, including her eldest son, into his care. No longer being able to be there for her boys, she's grateful both of them were raised in a stable household.
The living room is tidy. Books on the shelves along with other objects of memories. More paintings, some drawings, sketchbooks and photographs.
She makes lunch. Keeping consistent.
You can hear some children play outside in the courtyard.
She sleeps again.
She is overwhelmed again.
She wakes up.
She is still overwhelmed.
There is an assortment of plush toys around. One of which is a massive teddy bear.
She tries to sleep again.
Rebekah has a mindfulness class today. She's had a tough week. The phone rings. It's a man and they arrange to meet later that day. Rebekah decides to stay home and meet him instead of attending her mindfulness class.
She asks the man:
That man was the "Nubian King".
Other memories come. Another time
Brighton.
Rebekah's isn't feeling well again.
Mindfulness.
There will be more sleeping... and a change of hair colour, too.
The largest plush toy is called Mr Chocolate Fudge. A brown teddy bear that Rebekah says is all she needs when she looks for cuddles.
Like many of the plush toys in her apartment, Mr Chocolate Fudge has its origins as a gift to Rebekah’s daughter. The third and last of her children, Rebekah’s daughter has lived in a foster home since she was about 11.
Rebekah picks up Mr Chocolate Fudge and sits with him while she waits for her hair dye to take effect. She wants her hair to go blonde.
Rebekah packs her things and gets ready to leave. It's the beginning of the summer and Brighton is waiting for her. Her house is a bit messier now, maybe because of her packing. She's got a new haircut and the trip seems exciting to her. She makes some sandwiches to take with her.
She's excited. She's anxious.
Closure is what Rebekah feels she needs. The memories she carries continue to be an influential part of her daily life. So, as if on a pilgrimage to look for forgiveness, closure and love of her own self, she carries her heavy suitcase through a crowded station on her way to a hostel where she will stay for a couple of weeks.
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