After a fierce battle to see who would win our second annual Best Cascadian Film, Sometimes I Think About Dying, directed by Rachel Lambert and written by Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Kevin Armento and Katy Wright-Mead is our winner! The Best Cascadian Film award was invented by our group to help recognize local films being produced in our region that celebrate the Cascadian region (British Columbia, Washington and Oregon).
See the list of other films we nominated for Best Cascadian Films.
To be eligible for the Best Cascadian Film, a film needs to be set in Cascadia, it needs to be shot in Cascadia and needs to be directed by someone who hails from or calls Cascadia home. The film must also have been released in the region during our qualifying period. Not every box needs to be checked to be eligible, but as long as most of them are, and the film feels sufficiently Cascadian enough, it is allowed.
Despite Sometimes I Think About Dying premiering at Sundance back in 2023, it didn’t play in the Cascadian region until January 26th 2024 when it got a limited theatrical release in the United States. The film is originally based on a play written by Kevin Armento, which was then adapted into a short film directed by Stefanie Abel Horowitz.
The film was shot mostly in Astoria, Oregon, which is on the Columbia River and is one of the most northern points of the state about a two-hour drive away from Portland. Some scenes were also shot at St. Helen’s which is on the west side of the state. The story is about Fran, played by Daisy Ridley, a depressed office worker who fantasizes about being dead, not killing herself but the act of already being deceased in imaginative ways.
The film shows different ways depression can affect people. In Sometimes, Fran just goes through the motions of her life. Everything around her is bland and drab. The clothes she wears are all beige and grey, the food she eats is purely for sustenance never for pleasure and her job is just an excuse for her to go through the daily motions. All the while she imagines unique and creative ways to be dead since life just isn’t that exciting.
That is until her office hires Robert who instantly takes a liking to Fran. Suddenly her world has meaning even if she doesn’t quite “get it” yet. Her rankles get raised when Robert starts asking pesky and prying questions like what her interests are, her past and aspirations. The dreary Oregon coast starts to look a little more beautiful and serene, and maybe a smile might be present. Even if their relationship might not fully work out, it is enough to remind Fran that there is more to life than just counting down the days to death.
Rachel Lambert, along with the three contributors who wrote this film, directed the short and wrote the original play it is based on, manage to capture the pain of introvertness, the difficulty of small talk and the trouble with enjoying the simple things in life. The cast is superb with Daisy Ridley shaking off the pressures of the Star Wars franchise for a role that requires the heavy lifting acting to be done with her sad eyes instead of with her physicality. Dave Merheje, a stand up comedian and actor imbues Robert with a sense of honesty and has terrific chemistry with Ridley. Fran’s workmates all add plenty of humour and life to the film with Brittany O’Grady, Parvesh Cheena, Bree Elrod, Marcia DeBonis and others all excelling.
Here are what some of our writers had to say about Sometimes I Think About Dying and why they voted it:
“In real life, it’s almost funny how the mundanity of life pushes you over the edge. In Sometimes I Think About Dying, that humor is everything.” – Todd Pengelly
“It’s strangely affirming to see yourself in a film that actually understands the crushing weight of introversion. Ridley shines in a standout performance that is touching and heart-wrenching in equal measure.” – Simon Best
“Sometimes I Think About Dying” challenges our perception of loneliness and the relationships we pursue – and Daisy Ridley performs on a career-best level.” – Ethan Simmie
We are proud to name Sometimes I Think About Dying as our second ever winner of Best Cascadian Film, joining the ranks of Riceboy Sleeps, last year’s winner. Congratulations to Rachel Lambert and everyone that worked on the film.
For more coverage of the film, check out work from our members.
Reviews: Sometimes I Think About Dying From Fantasia Festival 2023