Summaries

Synopsis

Below the Trees is a raw and poignant psychological drama that explores themes of grief, identity, and the search for belonging. The film follows an common person, a young woman reeling from the recent death of her father, the only figure who ever truly cared for her. Struggling with the void left by his loss, her spirals into a deep emotional crisis, haunted by memories of her fractured childhood and her distant, neglectful mother.

With nowhere to turn for comfort, she embarks on a series of turbulent relationships with women who echo the same coldness and violence she experienced growing up. These relationships quickly devolve into patterns of emotional and physical abuse, as Sarah's desperate search for maternal affection blinds her to the red flags in those she chooses to love. Each relationship reflects her unresolved trauma, but she clings to the hope that one of these women might finally offer the nurturing care she never received.

As the film progresses, she becomes more isolated, retreating churches and open fields whose her father loved and often took her to during happier times. The forest, dense and suffocating, becomes a metaphor for her internal state. It mirrors her loneliness and emotional entanglement, as if the trees themselves are whispering reminders of her grief. Beneath their canopy, she attempts to make sense of her life, confronting painful memories of her father's quiet love and her mother's absence.

However, as she descends further into this isolation, her mental state begins to unravel. She starts experiencing weird thoughts-visions of her father, calling her back to moments they shared, and nightmarish encounters with shadowy figures that represent her unresolved pain. The boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, as hers grief manifests in terrifying ways, pulling her deeper into a psychological maze from which there seems to be no escape.

In "Below the Trees", the audience is taken on a harrowing journey through her mind as she confronts the destructive cycle of abuse and the haunting emptiness left by the lack of a mother's love. The film masterfully blends psychological horror and emotional drama, exploring how unresolved grief can distort one's sense of self and reality. With each relationship, she becomes more entangled in a web of violence and longing, leading her to a chilling realization: in her quest for love, she may have lost the very essence of who she is.

Ultimately, "Below the Trees" is not just a story about grief, but about the human need for connection, and how far we are willing to go in search of a love that might never be found. As Sarah confronts her darkest truths, the forest becomes a haunting backdrop to her psychological struggle, where the only way out is through the very pain she has long avoided. The film's evocative imagery and powerful emotional beats create a moving portrayal of loss, trauma, and the perilous journey toward healing.