I created Howl to explore the complications of grief, against a backdrop of sisterhood. Filmic depictions of female bereavement often define women as stoic, or as sorrowful – negating the reality of their emotional oscillation. I wanted to create a narrative about women’s experiences of bereavement which were ungraceful, even humorous.

I found the filming process to be particularly poignant, since my sister and I performed as Howl’s sibling duo. It felt surreal bringing our shared encounters with bereavement to these characters. I’m hopeful, however, that our closeness in real-life makes for an intimate, and truthful, perspective on familial grief.