Abide With Me

Andy Barmer

London College of Communication

This short film focuses on three generations of one family: daughter, mother, and grandfather. From the perspective of the present, it explores how the past influences the family. The film was shot in the centenary year of the outbreak of the First World War as the youngest of the three, Beth, journeys to France, Yorkshire, and Scotland to explore her grandfather, Andrew's, traumatic Great War history. In a parallel second journey, a metaphysical one, we see that despite the passage of time, each of the family member’s psychological issues are subtly intertwined. Andrew’s 'chronic mania' and subsequent incarceration leave a legacy for Pamela, his daughter, whose own battle with depression shows a vulnerability that Beth, his granddaughter, carries forward into her life.
The film is lyrical but accessible. It is more reflective than didactic in approach. It allows the testaments, anecdotes, and archives to unfold, leaving the issues raised open for the viewer to consider.