Blade's Edge

Description

A mother struggles to come to terms with who her son is, as public opinion of him sours. Blade's Edge pits the corrosive power of the echo-chambers that surround us against the power of blood ties and love. Told predominantly through the relationship between protagonist Mary and her best friend Elizabeth, the film explores Mary's journey after renouncing her son, seeing her build a rationale to justify the rejection and taking her to the brink of betrayal, only to witness him perform a miracle she cannot ignore. Caught between the pragmatism of her friend, the ideology of her son's opponents and the vitriol of the press, Mary is ultimately left with a choice: continue to reject her son as mad, which offers a form of protection for them both, or stand by him, endangering herself and giving up any power to save him. Blade's Edge is a sideways take on the superhero genre, that backgrounds the fantastic and foregrounds those who live in their light or shade. It sees the classic hero's dilemma, about protecting the ones we love, from a different angle. Despite the film's backdrop, it's intimate focus and down to earth feel make it an achievable short.

Biblical Connection

Most people know Mary from the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke's gospels, but I've chosen to look at her character with regard to the events in Mark 3:20-35. The story of Mary claiming her son is “out of his mind” is a shocking counterpoint to other gospel references. It's easy to perceive concern for her son in the passage, but there is also genuine rejection. Mark wraps the event around the darker accusations of the scribes and uses linguistic construction to parallel their charges with those of Mary and Jesus' brothers (France NIGTC), this casts a troubling shadow over Mary's actions. How did the woman who said “yes” to God come to this point and what is her journey towards the cross where she appears again, before going on to spread the word of the risen Jesus? How far are her actions shaped by the voices of those who have taken offence at Jesus and even by the voices of the scribes themselves? I've chosen the Elizabeth of Luke 1 as Mary's friend, because she has experienced Mary's journey from the beginning, yet their relationship is complicated by John's imprisonment, considering his connection with Jesus.