Savannah Film Festival: Trigger warnings — stories that provoke the mind

‘Under the Lights’ directed by Miles Levin 

A high-schooler named Sam wants to be a normal kid, so he goes to prom. But it was dangerous.

“Under the Lights” was directed by Miles Levin, who like Sam, has epilepsy. Levin gives the audience a look into what the condition is like. The film gives off especially raw emotions in the scene where Sam interacts with a girl who was crying over a cheating boyfriend, and Sam tried his best to act normal. In the end, they both get a “normal prom.”

‘Muma’ directed by Raul Rosco Guerrero 

“Muma” is a short film that will keep you on the edge of your seat following  mysterious phone call between a deranged son and his mother. Director Guerrero is brilliant in how he gives small details that move the story forward. “Muma” ends at the height of the suspense, the climax of the son’s mental breakdown unfolding tragically before his mother.

‘Tears Teacher’ directed by Noemie Nakai 

“Tears Teacher” is a Japanese documentary that follows Yoshida and his goal to promote the benefits of crying.

In Japan, crying is bad. It’s a big social no-no. Yoshida wants to change that feeling, so he opened his workshop to spread the word, that crying is not only completely OK, but can be powerful medicine.