The Holding
Grieving the loss of her lover, a young woman is stranded in a relentless wilderness. In this place where memory and survival blur, she encounters a future version of herself living out of a rusted car, digging a grave in which to bury her younger self: a desperate ritual aimed at conjuring the presence of the lover she cannot release.
As the two versions of herself battle for dominance, the woman is confronted with the choice to break free and move forward – or, by remaining bound to grief, to become as untamed and unforgiving as the landscape that surrounds her.
Warning: Contains mature themes and depictions of violence
Director bio:
Following a long career in theatre directing, Stevie Vickery’s move into film has deepened their love for abstraction and the avant-garde. For Stevie, cinema is not just about storytelling but about exploring human existence in ways that mirror the complex, non-linear ways we experience the world.
The Holding, their first short film, explores how memory shapes identity and the choices we make in becoming. It is also a personal reflection on Stevie’s own fear of holding on to past love and how clinging to what is gone kept them trapped in an emotional wilderness that no longer served them.
Other recent directing credits include artist Naavikaran’s music video ‘Where Are You From?’, most recently presented as part of the ACMI X TILDE showcase in 2025.
Master of Film and Television (Filmmaking)