Starring Hiroki Berrecloth and Frank Kauer, Molly is a short film written and directed by Darius Shu, whose previous work includes Justin Lin’s Last Days and LGBTQ+ activist documentary Out Laws. The short is mostly told through the eyes of Vinnie (Berrecloth) as he works day by day in a launderette. In a meet-cute of sorts, he encounters Ryan (Kauer), and although sparks fly, their attraction proves to be more than just physical.
From the outset, Vinnie’s loneliness is palpable. Working every day at the launderette, mostly alone, his only company is in a goldfish bowl within a washing machine. There are moments of contentment in him working alone and in silence, but the film gently builds Vinnie’s desire for something more – especially with the confident Ryan.
But as the characters become closer, the film takes care to reinforce the tenderness of their relationship. Throughout Molly, Vinnie exudes discomfort when it comes to physical intimacy, whether it is from PDAs from other customers or even someone else showing an interest in Ryan. It can be easily misconstrued as jealousy, but through Berrecloth’s sensitive performance, this slowly manifests into a personal reluctance towards being physical. In return, Ryan learns that relationships can sway towards an emotional connection, bringing a more complex and refreshingly new perspective on relationships. With both characters striving and adjusting their own romantic expectations for each other, it allows the narrative to softly explore a different yet deeper take on relationships.
Shu’s intimate direction and camerawork encapsulate the growing closeness between the characters, moulding a level of comfort that comes from mature relationships. While the slow cinema style risks losing the film’s emotiveness, the film’s length retains the delicacy of the topic while enabling the characters to self-reflect on how their connection can deepen on their own terms.
In a quiet and poignant short, Molly brings a beautiful insight into relationships that invites audiences to look past the physical and embrace the emotional.
Molly is being shown as part of Queer East 2026.
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Director: Darius Shu
Stars: Hiroki Berrecloth, Frank Kauer
Runtime: 23 minutes
Country: UK
