A short film Written & Directed by Karen Anstee

Filming of Rachel took place in June 2016, on location at Leverton and Sons funeral directors in London and at Holkham nature reserve in Norfolk. Rachel began its festival journey by winning Best Foreign Film at the 2016 SNOB New England Indie Fest, USA and has since screened at many film festivals, including a sold out show at London’s iconic Phoenix Cinema as part of the UK International Jewish Film Festival. The film has also found a following amongst the feminist, death positive community, screening at events such as The Death & the Maiden Conference at Winchester University in 2017 and the 2018 Life, Death & the Rest Fest in Bristol.

Synopsis

From beyond death, a young woman fights to have her last wishes fulfilled against the will of her intransigent father. In a world where couples often come from different cultural backgrounds and many of the younger generation are moving towards alternative lifestyles and secularism, the traditional rites of passage, which once brought families and communities together, may now bring bitter conflict. Rachel explores the complex relationship between religion, family and love, and asks whether funerals are for the living or the dead. Website: www.rachelbykarenanstee.com