Zach Kornfeld's OUCH! a powerful look at invisible illnesses (Fantasia)
Fantasia Festival - Short Film
Since 2014, The Try Guys have been running a successful YouTube channel, recently launching their own streaming service called 2ndTryTV. They have been regularly producing content for a decade, but this week, one of the founders, Zach Kornfeld, is debuting his short film OUCH! at Fantasia Festival.
Kornfeld suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis, an autoimmune disease that affects the spine. This short film speaks both specifically to the pain that Kornfeld experiences due to his disease and also more broadly to some of the frustrations that others who suffer from invisible illnesses must endure.
The film is short, just under 10 minutes, but it packs a lot into that time. Using striking imagery, he is able to convey so much of what it is to suffer from chronic pain. The film showcases a visit to a doctor, where he’s asked to rate his pain. It shows the well-meaning friend who suggests yoga. It shows a split-screen trip to a party where on one side, we see what is visible and on the other, what is happening internally to Zach.
Through all of this is a small wooden box. It looks battered, but it is something that he looks at longingly until the next wave of pain hits, and he puts it back in the closet. Eventually, there is a confrontation with a monster representing the pain, and Kornfeld finally opens the box, and we are introduced to some of the tools that are used to combat this ever-present illness.
OUCH! has fantastic production design and a funny and touching script. Because Kornfeld is playing himself, he is able to fully inhabit this story, making it both personal and broadly accessible to a wider audience.
For those who experience an invisible illness, regardless of the diagnosis, this film may help you feel seen. And for those who do not, perhaps this film can foster a greater sense of empathy for those who are fighting a battle you may not be able to see, but is no less real.
Check out my interview with Zach Kornfeld about his film!