grist
2023, 17 min
‘Grist’ tells the story of a genderqueer musician who finds home in an underground community of healers in the aftermath of assault.
A wildly successful musician, Ryan seems to have it all. But when the cousin who harmed them years ago returns to the city for the holidays, Ryan spirals into a dangerous bout of depression. After finding support from a group of local healers, Ryan is finally ready to move forward. But first they must decide what justice and healing truly mean to them.
Incorporating elements of magical realism, this short drama explores themes of community care, complex trauma, and healing in the absence of state protection.
the team
-
Taylor D. Mason
writer, director, producer, editor
-
Melissa Pratt
director of photography
-
ricardo bouyett
editor
-
Caitlin McCarthy
production designer
about
‘Grist’ is inspired by the resilience and creativity of Black, Brown, queer, and trans communities and the ways that they have historically taken healing and survival into their own hands in the midst of violence and the absence of institutional support.
As our society grapples with rampant violence against women, femmes, and queer and trans people, 'Grist' leverages magical realism to re-imagine what it looks like for survivors to take matters of healing and safety in their own hands.
Filmed in my home in Chicago with the support of local vendors, 'Grist' is my second film to date. Our cast and crew reflects the ethos of the project. The film’s team is largely led by women, femme, and gender non-forming people of color, with 21 out of 27 of the cast and crew identifying as women and femmes across the gender spectrum. Sixty percent of our team members identify as femmes of color, and 44% openly identify as Black queer and trans people.
