Gabriela (2024) - A Captivating and Oscar-Qualified Short Film: A Review

Gabriela is a poetic commentary on identity and liberation, the pursuit of dreams and reflecting on your personal resilience. Gabriela explores these themes through the physical medium of water, the power water has on the lead and how it stands for a metaphor of dreams, desires and the idea of rebirth. 

Gabriela is a complex character who longs to distance herself from her heritage and her family whilst chasing her desire to swim, although the storyline is simple the execution of this short is magnificent. Gabriela is beautifully poetic and reflects heavy emotional themes through soft, cool tones and aesthetically pleasing shots. Gabriela, performed by the filmmaker Evelyn Lorena is a quiet, vulnerable lead who draws you in with her shy yet assertive nature and you can only hope for her happiness. 

Nature is used as both a goal and an obstacle, for Gabriela water is a representation of her journey but to her mother, water is a reminder of her fears and the realisation that she cannot always protect her daughter. Gabriela comments on the complexity of a mother and daughter relationship alongside Gabriela’s determination and fight for individuality. 

Gabriela only need 16 minutes to move you, visually the short is a beautiful representation of nature and nurture. A constant struggle between wants and needs, future and past, Gabriela is forced to confront her identity and accept it rather than run away from it. I was in awe of the aesthetically pleasing execution of this short and found myself leaning into the screen, being drawn in my the colour palette and intelligent use of camera angles and framing. 

Gabriela showcases the battle of expectations of family compared to ambition, Gabriela’s dreams are often trapped behind prejudice and fear. She is constantly confronted by her over-protective mother and reminded continuously of the limitations on her legal status, this short film is a statement on growth, how far is an individual able to grow before the world stops them or convinces them to stop. Gabriela must ignore the signs from the world and love herself first, this story shows us Gabriela’s struggle with her identity but ultimately she accepts who she is.

Overall, Gabriela is a moving short film which should remind you of the endless creativity and potential new filmmakers have. Short films are a representation of cinemas future and Gabriela (2024) is a perfect example of this, a beautiful, heart warming, emotional film with a heart felt message and meaning at the centre. 

Visit @gabriela_film on instagram to learn more about the feature and where to watch it!

Probe Points

★★★★☆