Carly Kassay

family (in) pieces

"family (in) pieces" is a stop-motion short about a young woman who tries to find balance between grieving for lost love and tradition and having the courage to embrace new life and culture. This coming-of-age story begins in her home, which is filled to the brim with her dead family’s possessions. Her doorbell rings, and as she goes to answer it, she gets distracted by the objects. Indulging in them leaves her overwhelmed and haunted by her family’s ghosts and memories.The title has two meanings. One can have “family pieces,” which are objects that define one’s heritage or culture, or perhaps they once belonged to loved ones so it’s all someone has to remember them by. A family can also be “in pieces” as they undergo big life changes (such as death), leaving them feeling broken, lost, or unprepared. Since I began my undergraduate career in 2017, my family has lost 8 members and two family homes. Never had I experienced so much death and loss. As I prepare for graduation, I’m terrified of losing a part of me that came with these people and times, but I also don’t want to hold onto it so tightly that I forget to enjoy and embrace the new. "family (in) pieces" is original as it’s told from a younger perspective. I hope it connects to a younger audience that feels insecure and unsure of how to begin life again they make big transitions (especially during this pandemic!).

“The film, puppet & set were all handmade by me.Music and SFX by Jake Kassay.Title card by Olivia Gasperi, Drawing and Painting: Digital Painting and Expanded Animation.”