Where We're Going

Directed by Deborah Shonack

Length: 13:41
Producers: Jamisha Amin, Jerry Liu, Deborah Shonack
Editor: Ashley Lai
Cinematographer: Haruka Yamakawai
Sound Mixer: Ito Choho

River and Eloise’s relationship has been off since River came out as nonbinary a few months prior, which has caused River to hesitate on starting their transition. Their relationship matters more, and River knows just how to fix it.

They decide to plan the perfect anniversary surprise to win Eloise back and fix their relationship. At first, things seem to be going well, they even start to become intimate, but the “perfect anniversary” falls apart the second Eloise realizes River is wearing a binder and pulls away from them.

Unable to continue avoiding the rift, River confronts Eloise about why she’s been so distant, and through their argument, Eloise reveals she’s no longer physically attracted to River. Upset, River grabs their things, testosterone bottle included, and leaves the apartment. The next time we see River, they’re in an apartment elsewhere, where they take their first shot of testosterone at home, put on an outfit that gives them gender euphoria, and stand outside in the rain, finally free to explore what it means to be themselves.

Undergraduate Film & TV

dms883@nyu.edu

Deborah Shonack (They/Them) is an up and coming filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Primarily a writer and director, they also work as a producer and casting director on set.

Deborah was a Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar at NYU and is passionate about stories that center communities who’ve been underrepresented in film, especially the Latine and Queer communities. They currently work at Central Casting as a Casting Assistant.