We all face trauma, some worse than others. It’s what makes us and sometimes breaks us. We follow Jason’s life as he enjoys his time with friends at the beach until it suddenly hits him in the middle of the game. Can he hold it in and hide it, or will it show and affect his life?

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Review by Julie C. Sheppard:

Trauma survival is the primary theme of the short film, Sunburn. It is a dramatic portrayal of someone who is intensely suffering from frightening past events. The film uses quick editing to expose a terrifying flashback, the catalyst for the lead character’s strife, that in turn hinders his social interactions with his friends on a beach volleyball court. The performance of the lead is sensitively done, as he gradually descends into helplessness and anxiety, as the hand-held camera wavers close to his uneasy face. 

The lovely beach setting and the playful game of volleyball both serve as strong contrasts to the gloom that the central figure experiences. Sounds of ongoing waves eventually blend in with gentle music underscoring the lead’s interchange with his kind and similarly traumatized friend, who assures him that things will be okay, despite life’s challenges. 

The motif of how we all suffer as humans is cleverly indicated by the convincing make-up of bruises on the bodies of many other friends on the beach. Equally poignant are the soulful vocals about the universal nature of pain and trauma we share and yet, with perseverance, we survive.