‘You must do something to make the world more beautiful.’
The Canadian filmmaker Kelly O’Brien is known for her diaristic, poetic short documentaries that reflect on parenting and family. In Most of the Time I Can Just Be, O’Brien films her daughter Emma on a Toronto subway platform. Over black-and-white footage of her dancing freely to music only she can hear through her headphones, Emma explains how a desire to create ‘spontaneous joy’ inspires her to do so. A spare, simple and warm slice of life that resonates beyond its brief duration, this collaboration between mother and daughter offers both a small window into Emma’s worldview and a gentle reflection on our vulnerability in public spaces.
