CCR #1:The Final Stretch

This is the last big step before wrapping up my film project! The Creative Critical Reflection (CCR) is a huge part of the Cambridge portfolio, where I have to analyze my work, explain my choices, and show how my film connects to real-world issues. It’s not just about making a cool movie; it’s about understanding why every decision matters.

In this post, I’m sharing a scripted interview in which I answer one of the key CCR questions: How does my film use or challenge conventions, and how does it represent social groups or issues? I break down how my psychological horror plays with audience expectations and explores mental health in a unique way. The way I want to answer 2 of the 4 questions is by doing a late night talk show scene. Here is the script I made for the first question. I'm planning on having my partner Addison be the host and I'm the guest of the night. This is the final stretch, so let’s dive in! 

Script:

HOST: Simona, your psychological horror film opening is gripping and eerie. How does your product use or challenge conventions, and how does it represent social groups or issues?

SIMONA: Thanks! My film follows some psychological horror conventions but also challenges them. Usually, horror films rely on big scares, loud music, or intense violence, but mine builds tension more quietly. Instead of showing the murder, I focus on the eerie calm afterward. The horror comes from the unsettling way Christina moves, how precise and detached she is. That slow, methodical approach makes the audience uneasy without needing dramatic action.

Another way I challenge conventions is by making the audience put the pieces together. You don’t see the crime itself, just the aftermath—the shovel, the wedding ring, the body wrapped in plastic. It makes viewers engage with the story more, piecing together what happened instead of just watching it unfold.

HOST: That’s a really unique way of building suspense. Now, your film also explores deeper issues. Can you talk about that?

SIMONA: Definitely. A big theme in my film is mental health and how it can go unnoticed or misunderstood. Christina isn’t just a villain—she’s struggling with something she doesn’t even know she has. Her paranoia, anger, and emotional changes all come from an undiagnosed brain tumor. This highlights how serious medical conditions can affect mental health and how they’re sometimes ignored or misdiagnosed.

It also connects to how women’s emotions are often dismissed. Luke cares about Christina, but even he doesn’t realize how much she’s struggling. The healthcare system fails her by not catching the tumor earlier, and by the time she gets help, she’s already lost herself. This reflects real issues where women’s pain is sometimes not taken seriously, being brushed off as stress or mood swings instead of real medical problems.