Two friends make a pact to explore who they are beyond the “masks” of neurotypical and gender binary expectations.
UNMASKING is a narrative short film that unfolds over brunch between two friends. Bird (Audrey Dundee Hannah), an autistic woman, and Bes (B.J. Minor), a queer man exploring a non-binary identity, discuss their struggles with fitting into prescribed roles as they navigate a series of micro-aggressions from their judgey but curious server. When Bird experiences sensory overload and has a meltdown, Bes helps her recover and the two friends find themselves in a hidden sanctuary under the table. Together, they make a pact to embrace their true selves and unmask from the demands of neurotypical and gender binary expectations. Unmasking is a modern buddy comedy with a dash of magical realism and a whole lot of heart.
Aubree Bernier-Clarke is a director and cinematographer based in Los Angeles and Portland, OR. Aubree’s films The Night Is Ours, A Normal Girl and Unmasking have screened at festivals around the world including American Pavilion at Cannes Film Festival, BFI Flare in London and the New Orleans Film Festival, to name a few. In 2020, A Normal Girl won the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Documentary at the United Nations Association Film Festival. As a DP, Aubree shot the Chase Joynt-directed feature documentary Framing Agnes, which won the NEXT Innovator and Audience awards at Sundance in 2022. Aubree has been a fellow in the AFI DWW+ and FOX Bridge Directing Fellowships, is a recipient of the ITVS Humanities Documentary Development Fellowship supported by the National Endowment of the Humanities, and has served as an advisor for the Sundance Collab Directing: Visual Storytelling class.
World Premiere - American Pavillion at Cannes - 2024, MIX Copenhagen - 2024
Actor - B.J. Minor
Actor - Audrey Dundee Hannah
Actor - Becky Poole
