My Sister Liv
Ajyal Competition - Ajyal Film Festival 2022
Alan Hicks / Australia, United States of America / 2022 / 71 min / Colour / Unknown / In English / Arabic subtitles
Themes : Death, Documentary, Family
Rated: 
Parental guidance is advised. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.
Description
When eight-year-old Tess learned that her mother was pregnant, she was not excited at the prospect of a sibling. But with the birth of little Liv, who had the same fiery red hair as her older sister, an unbreakable bond was formed that, sadly, was torn apart too soon. Liv grew into a young woman full of energy and with incredible musical talent, but even as a child, she suffered from anxiety and depression until she was driven to a radical solution. Tess was left with a void in her life that she decided to fill by working with teenagers who have the same difficulties as Liv did.
‘My Sister Liv’ is a feature documentary following the inseparable sisters Tess and Liv. Liv is a young girl growing up with the relentless pressures of social media, depression, body dysmorphia, and, often, suicidal thoughts. The film takes us into the intimate journey of Liv’s raw emotions and fears of a young life on the edge, and, ultimately, Tess’s desperate struggle to save her. ‘My Sister Liv’ reveals the realities of stigma around mental health, and the aftermath for those left behind after a suicide. As a family learns to cope, they find hope in fearlessly talking about mental health and fighting to save young lives.
Director
Alan Hicks
Alan Hicks is a Grammy Award-Winning filmmaker based in Los Angeles and Sydney. Hicks’ first feature documentary, ‘Keep On Keepin’ On’, won both the Audience Award and Best New Director honours at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. The film also won awards from the IDFA, AFI, Cinema Eye, Seattle Film Festival, Palm Springs, Hamptons Summer Docs and was shortlisted for the Academy Awards Best Documentary Feature in 2015. Hicks then co-directed the documentary feature film, 'Quincy', following music legend and icon Quincy Jones. 'Quincy' premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018 and won the Grammy for Best Music Film.
Credits
- Screenwriter
- Alan Hicks, Paula DuPré Pesme, Andrew McAllister, Jordan Swioklo
- Producer
- Paula DuPré Pesme, Camilla Mazzaferro
- Editor
- Andrew McAllister, Michael Mahaffie, Jordan Swioklo