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Weathering is a brand new short thriller film that made its debut exclusively on Netflix on Friday, April 14, 2023. Written and directed by Megalyn Echikunwoke, Weathering is a powerful portrayal of grief, pain, self-doubt, and the immense trauma inflicted by a tragic loss. The official synopsis for the 20-minute-long movie, given by Netflix, reads as follows:
"After losing her baby and nearly her life during labor, a journalist unravels amid disturbing visions and chilling attacks as she grieves alone at home."
The cast list for Weathering includes Alexis Louder as the lead character Gemina, Academy Award-winning actress Alfre Woodard as Gemina's strong mother, and Jermaine Fowler as James, among a few others.
Ever since the short film was released on Netflix, it has begun to receive a lot of positive responses from both critics and viewers due to its striking storyline, slick direction, impactful acting by the cast members, and moving ending.
The ending of Weathering saw some dark and emotionally heavy sets of events
Who was trying to harm Gemina?
Weathering chronicled the suspensefully woven ominous and tragic story of a journalist named Gemina, who lost her baby girl in labor due to the negligence of a medical professional. The pain caused by the loss landed Gemina in a dark pool of sadness and depression. She felt helpless and lost and started blaming herself for the demise of her unborn child.
Gemina was all alone in this tragic situation, as her partner Shawn left her after the incident. She began to hallucinate deeply disturbing things, which mainly indicated that she held herself responsible for the death of her baby girl. She started seeing and experiencing even darker things and began believing that an unknown person was trying to cause harm to her.
Towards the end of the Netflix film, Gemina found herself inside the swimming pool at her place. She was seen trying hard to keep her head above the water as that unknown person tried to drown her to death. At that moment, Gemina finally saw this person’s face, and it was none other than her own. The heartbreaking scene denoted that it was she who was trying to cause harm to herself as a punishment for what happened to her baby.
Was Gemina able to come out of her trauma?
In the end, Gemina did not succumb to her trauma as she pulled herself out of the pool. As she was breathing heavily while lying beside the pool, she had a realization. She understood that it was not she who failed her unborn daughter but the society's medical system, which is quite indifferent to black women.
Despite her many pleadings, the doctor refused to listen to her when she said that she didn't feel right during her labor and even before that. Her words and requests were neglected by the medical professional. Gemina understood her own body and knew something was wrong, but the medical team refused to listen to her, costing her the life of her baby girl.
At the very end of the movie, the audience saw Gemina in a better state as she sat on her bed with her laptop, beginning to write a piece titled, "What will it take to protect Black Women?" The end scene was quite powerful as it showcased Gemina coming out stronger from her traumatic situation.
Don't forget to watch Weathering, which is currently streaming on Netflix.
