The London Film Festival is set to host a strong lineup of homegrown talent this week, with one of the most anticipated entries being 'Dependence', the debut feature from director Grace Harper Brighouse. The documentary, which previously earned the Harrell Award at the Camden Film Festival, offers a raw and intimate exploration of family, addiction, and the passage of time.
'Dependence' centers on Brighouse's strained relationship with her father, an estrangement rooted in his OxyContin addiction. The film masterfully weaves together home movie footage she shot as a young film student, providing a deeply personal lens through which to examine these complex dynamics.
Brighouse initially began filming her father in 2013, prompted by her brother's suggestion to document their dad and his ailing dog, Charlie. She recalls these early filming sessions as a way for her and her father to connect without needing to address their underlying issues. "Every year, if my dad and I hadn’t been speaking, he would say, ‘Charlie’s going to die. He’s never going to make it through the winter,"' Brighouse shared, explaining it created an "off-ramp" for them to be together. She credits the camera with allowing her to observe aspects of her closest relationships she might otherwise miss.
However, the project was put on hold for many years following the tragic death of her brother. The footage remained untouched until Brighouse felt an unexplainable pull to revisit the material. A friend helped log the extensive footage, enabling Brighouse to engage with it without the emotional burden of watching it directly. Slowly, she realized the film had evolved from its original intent into something new and profound.
The documentary distinguishes itself through its experimental structure, avoiding conventional talking heads or typical visual tropes associated with family and addiction narratives. It features time jumps and presents images in various formats, a style Brighouse attributes partly to the influence of RaMell Ross's Hale County This Morning, This Evening. She noted that Ross's film "unlocked a way for me to think about storytelling and time, and about creating a visual language that is different from the guidebook."
'Dependence' was a scrappy production, with Brighouse serving as director and cinematographer, alongside additional cinematography by Roger Chapman, Ronnie McQuillan, and Tom Besley. Vera Simmonds edited the film, which was produced by Caitlin Mae Burke and Alistair Payne-James (140 Films). The team pieced together funds through artist residencies and paid time, with everyone juggling other jobs.
Brighouse hopes the film resonates with a broad audience, fostering connection and reflection. "I hope we’ve made something where, in the end, you think, ‘I really just want to talk to my family member and tell them I love them,"' she expressed. She aims for the film to occupy a space that explores "complex, messy familial love, as well as all the issues it touches on." 'Dependence' is set to screen on Sunday, October 11th, at the LFF, with 140 Films handling sales.