Above the Surface
Still is a video narrative by Anisa Ibrahim. In this video, Anisa narrates about five main characters: her, her mother, her aunt, her late cousin, and security guards. She also speaks of other auxiliary characters such as the nurses, her uncle, and the mayor. The narrative in the film is about Anisa and her family seeking to identify the body of her deceased cousin following a road accident. A conflict arises between the grieved family and the police at the hospital that results from religious prejudice causing Anisa's family to be denied the opportunity to see their deceased family member. The conflict gets resolved when the mayor intervenes after being contacted by Anisa's uncle.
Below the Surface
Although not explicitly stated in the film, I believe that the audience of the short film is an American population or religious and/or minority groups in America. This is because she references the 911 terror attack, a tragedy that is not general knowledge to non-American audiences. The story aims to call out American systems that allow racially, gender, and religious discrimination. The author uses a grieving tone to express her experience and her loss to her audience. I think the author achieves her goal because through her narration, video visuals, and tone, she was able to appeal to my emotions in a way that helped me visualize her experience.