A visually striking, emotionally raw, and masterfully crafted descent into heartbreak, memory, and self-reckoning.
Breaking & Entering, directed by Catherine Andre, is a hypnotic, dialogue-free psychological short that immerses the viewer in the interior world of a woman navigating the aftermath of a toxic relationship. It is a precision-crafted film—equal parts darkly comedic, surreal, and painfully intimate.
Judges connected deeply with the film:
- Beth Estrada praised its clarity and passion, remarking that even without dialogue, the film communicated everything it needed to.
- Leonard Smith highlighted its technical excellence—sound design, cinematography, editing, and lighting—all innovative and confidently executed.
- Jake noted that there wasn’t anything to dislike, emphasizing how the film’s craft and emotional honesty shine through.
A Story Told Through Image, Memory, and Emotion
The film follows a woman on the verge of emotional collapse as she breaks into her ex-boyfriend’s home to say a “final goodbye.” But once inside, she finds herself trapped—not by him, but by the memories, fantasies, and buried wounds that fill the empty space. As she confronts her past, her darkest demon emerges: herself.
Andre’s choice to tell this story without spoken language is not only bold, it’s effective. The audience becomes acutely attuned to every gesture, sound, and shift in mood. The house transforms into a psychological battleground where past and present blur, reality bends, and emotional truth becomes the only guide.
A Director with Artistic Depth & Global Experience
Catherine Andre is a filmmaker with a remarkable background—trained across multiple continents, steeped in theater and academia, and recognized internationally for her work. Her global artistic lens enriches the film’s emotional and visual vocabulary:
- Theater direction in New York City (Shakespeare and feminist new works)
- Fulbright scholar in Europe, blending film and stage artistry
- Filmmaking in Prague on 16mm, honored across international festivals
- Directing Fellow at AFI Conservatory, completing six shorts and developing feature films
Her storytelling bridges cultures, disciplines, and philosophies. With Breaking & Entering, she fuses her theatrical sensibilities with cinematic surrealism, resulting in a film that is both grounded and dreamlike.
Themes & Artistic Impact
Andre’s director statement frames the film as a surreal romantic thriller—a portrait of a woman whose inability to let go has transformed love into a form of suffering. The film digs into:
- The intoxicating pull of memory
- The destructive nature of unresolved longing
- The emotional “prison” we create when hope refuses to die
- The universal experience of heartbreak
- The quiet violence of self-betrayal
Casting a woman of color as the lead was an intentional decision, widening the lens of who gets to be the romantic heroine—or anti-heroine—in stories like this.
Final Reflections
Breaking & Entering is a festival standout—technically excellent, emotionally fierce, and visually rich. It’s a rare short that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. Catherine Andre demonstrates absolute control over tone, rhythm, and visual storytelling, crafting an experience that is unsettling, intimate, and impossible to forget.
A stunning, haunting, beautifully executed film about the moment love transforms into something darker—and the courage it takes to finally let go.
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