Suitcase is a deeply personal story for me. As a survivor of domestic violence, I wanted to capture the feeling of being trapped and isolated in a way that felt real. I chose not to show violence on screen, and instead used visual language to express the inner struggle because sometimes, what’s unseen speaks the loudest. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, survivors try to leave an average of seven times before breaking free for good. In the end, the suitcase in my story becomes a symbol of hope, of the day they will finally take it and leave.