The Concept

We all have that person in our lives that if it weren't for something, that one thing - a mutual friend, a location, a common occurrence - wouldn't be a part of our lives. As much as we can, we go out of our way to make them not a part of our lives, because we don't like them! Scratch that - we can't stand them!

They often make decisions we fundamentally cannot understand. Their logic and priorities are completely backward to ours, and the only people they're concerned about are themselves. Even then, they don't seem happy enough to be concerned about themselves, making their decisions even more baffling. But what if you didn't have to see this person anymore? What if that thing that's keeping you together, was suddenly no longer there?

And what if this person was your sister?

This is the story of two sisters, two inherently incompatible people who want little to nothing to do with one another. Who, up until now, have just barely remained in each other's lives. Now, after the death of their mother, the pair come to blows as they release tension old and new, and they evaluate whether or not to stay a part of each other's lives.

Directors Statement

All That We Have Left is a story of grief, memory, and the fragile yet enduring ties between siblings. At its heart, it is a film about two sisters who, in the wake of their mother’s death, find themselves not just sorting through physical belongings, but also untangling the emotional wreckage left in her absence. It is a raw, intimate, and dark comedic exploration of familial bonds—the ones we cling to, the ones we reject, and the ones we don’t realise we need until they begin to slip away.

For me, this story resonates deeply, and the tension between Anne and Helen is one that so many of us know. Their journey is messy, heartbreaking, and most importantly it is human. The thing that excites me most about this film is the opportunity to capture those gritty human responses to grief, which often manifests in unexpected ways. 

This is a film about memory, so the house itself will feel like a time capsule—a space that holds echoes of the past in every corner. The cinematography will be mainly handheld, embracing imperfections and spontaneity to reflect the unpredictable energy of Anne and Helen's relationship. Visually, When We Were Here will adopt a muted, desaturated colour palette reminiscent of Knives Out, using deep greens, cool teals, and slate blues to reflect Anne’s emotional detachment, while earthy browns and desaturated burgundies evoke Sue’s warmth and impulsiveness.

Though All That We Have Left is a drama, humor plays a vital role. I see it as a film that balances its emotional weight with an almost tragic absurdity. Imagine Fleabag meets Motherland, or perhaps The Darjeeling Express meets A Real Pain. The sisters’ physical fight over their late mother’s belongings is both ridiculous and devastating. The film will live in those contrasts: the moments when pain and laughter overlap, when nostalgia is as much a comfort as it is a burden.

At its core, this film is a meditation on what it means to be family. It doesn’t provide easy resolutions, nor does it try to fix the sisters’ fractured bond. But in the silence after all the yelling, in the passing of a bottle of wine on a porch, there is something fragile yet hopeful. That’s the feeling I want to leave audiences with—because sometimes, just being there is enough.