Two nuns create their 'bucket list'.
CONFESSIONS is used with permission from Stephanie Kaznocha. Learn more at https://instagram.com/stephaniekaznocha.
Alva and Mary are two elderly nuns who stumble upon the body of Sister Antonia, who has fallen dead at the altar of their church. The two nuns turn their thoughts to mortality, wondering how they like to go.
Their discussions pull them into a philosophical state of mind, with one confession leading to the realization that they haven't experienced nearly as much as they'd like. Determined to cram more excitement and joy in what's left of their lifetime, the two nuns decide to embark on a series of adventures before it's too late.
Directed and written by Stephanie Kaznocha, this sweetly irreverent short buddy comedy is a unique riff on the idea of YOLO, as two dear friends and fellow spiritual explorers contemplate their mortality together and decide it's time to leave their literal cloister and live a little. Like the lifestyle of the nuns themselves, the visuals have a straightforward, naturalistic and almost modest bent, but it puts the spotlight on the warmly delightful performances and quirky, funny writing.
The film begins with Sisters Mary and Alva discovering another sister's dead body, with both women shocked but not surprised, due to the dead nun's advanced age. But Mary and Alva are old as well, and as they drolly leave behind Antonia's body without much drama, their thoughts quickly turn to their impending ends. They both detail how they'd like to die and while the subject is morbid, their tones are anything but. They could be discussing the weather or what they'll be having for dinner that night, for it's clear that both have accepted that death is a natural next step for them soon.
The understatement of a serious subject makes for gentle humor, but it also indicates a wisely calm acceptance that leads them to another, more consequential turn in conversation: the fact that they became nuns before the roles of women in society changed, and how they haven't done many of the things they'd like. So they decide to bend their order's rules and embark on a few mild adventures. For one, it's learning to swim, and for the other, it's trying a beer. As fellow adventurers, actors Carol Herman and Eve Sigall are charming together, and their most effective moments come when the two friends lean on one another, cheering each other on and providing support when things become uncertain.
Winsome, funny and deeply human, CONFESSIONS has a charm that belies its understated and unflashy demeanor. Much of the film's gently affectionate humor and sweetness comes from the juxtaposition of the ages and occupation of the thrill seekers against the drive to seek adventure, and thanks to the endearing performances, it's a pleasure to see these two friends let loose in their singular way. But it's also a gentle reminder that it is never too late to live a little, no matter how old you are or what you do -- and that adventure is sometimes simply the expansion of one's horizons and helps us feel more alive.