A single grey hair springs to life in a playful exploration of ageing anxiety

In the animated short Silvering, a candle burns and a radio hums as a woman shaves her legs in the bath. The scene is set for a night of self-care. Stepping out of the water, she opens a window, passing her clothes that lie on the chequered floor when, in an instant, the peace is shattered by a single grey hair. Examining her figure from shin to breast to bottom for signs of ageing, she descends into a spiral of self-scrutiny. Soon, the proceedings take a turn for the surreal as the hair dances to life, slithering around to bind her hands and envelop her body.

In her rendering of ageing anxiety, the Scottish filmmaker Eilidh Nicoll summons the distinct intimacy of being alone in the bathroom with one’s own body via a simple, stylish colour palette and nary a word of dialogue. Instead, she draws out her character’s subtle expressions to weave the narrative, as the richly detailed music and sound design evoke the dissonance that can accompany the experience of confronting your own reflection. The result is a heartfelt and gently humorous work that magnifies the sometimes uncomfortable reality of existing in an ever-changing body.

Via Directors Notes