Honouring the entry into adulthood, or used to process grief, and periods of change, rituals have been threaded into society for as long as recorded history. A ceremonial marker between past and present, and a channel for the emotions that confront us in testing situations, rituals enable positive memories to emerge from tragedies and transitions – building an environment in which inner dialogues can flow and transform.

In short film Here, co-directors Pedro Podestá & Brice Garcia explore the significance of rituals for processing grief. As three adolescence mourn the death of their childhood friend, they embark on a journey of healing, engaging with nature and collective catharsis as a catalyst for emotional relief. Through memories made together, and reflections on their friendship – both in Paul’s presence, and since his passing – the group explore the process of grief from the angle of optimism, experiencing a transformation of thought in the ritualistic moments shared.

Shot in the Barbizon region of France, where Podestá was living at the time, Here grew from a desire to document the natural landscape – already the subject of the many Impressionist painters who made it their base. Captured in analog, on Super 16mm film, DOP Raphael Bourdin lenses the film with a hazy, romantic feel – mimicking the magic and fragility of existence that centers its narrative. As the three friends find themselves confronted with an otherworldly figure – a personification of the soul of their friend, and the feeling of grief that haunts them – Here explores the symbolic significance of tradition, and how close bonds and our relationship with nature can act as a curative in the healing process.