STILL WYLDE: A Soft Meditation on Pregnancy and Transformation
STILL WYLDE: A Soft Meditation on Pregnancy and Transformation
Appenteng Hayford JUNE 29TH, 2025
In Still Wylde, a poetic and emotionally resonant short film, we are invited into the quiet interior world of a pregnant woman. Through tender visuals and an almost meditative pace, the film becomes less about plot and more about presence. It gently explores the beauty and fragility of the journey toward motherhood—where joy and fear sit side by side.
Still Wylde is not a typical narrative it feels more like a visual diary. It opens gently, with quiet moments that unfold like memories or dreams. What initially seems uneventful slowly deepens into something profound. We follow a young woman during her pregnancy as she navigates private, often solitary experiences of waiting, connecting, imagining, and processing. The film’s central message is clear: pregnancy isn’t just physical it’s spiritual and psychological. It’s a slow transformation full of doubt, anticipation, wonder, and quiet bravery. There are no big twists or dialogue-heavy exchanges. Instead, it’s about presence how time, silence, and stillness can hold so much.
The main character the expectant mother is portrayed with incredible vulnerability. She doesn’t speak, but we feel her: the weight of her thoughts, the softness of her hopes, the subtle tension beneath her silence. Without supporting characters in the usual sense, the emotional weight rests entirely on her shoulders and it works. Her nuanced performance turns subtle gestures into powerful storytelling. This is an inward-facing character, and the performance respects that interior without overselling it. It’s all about trust in herself, and in the quiet power of the moment.
The cinematography is soft, slow, and close. Intimate framing hands on belly, the curve of a shadow across her skin pulls us into her experience. The camera lingers without rushing. The use of natural light enhances the sense of honesty. It feels like we’re watching something sacred, yet ordinary. The visual language here says, “this is enough just her, right now.” Muted earth tones and subtle motion blur give the film a dreamy texture. It’s like looking back at a memory that never quite sharpened into clarity but never faded either.
Sound plays an understated but vital role. We hear soft breathing, the gentle hum of life around her, a distant heartbeat. These ambient sounds create a sense of intimacy. There’s minimal score, but when it surfaces, it does so with emotional precision. It doesn’t force feeling it echoes it. The sound design allows you to fall deeper into her space, rather than pull you out with artificial drama.
Still Wylde is quiet and emotionally grounded. It offers no dramatic arc or resolution, yet it lingers far longer than you expect. Its strength lies in its restraint and emotional clarity. It reminded me that storytelling doesn’t always need noise, conflict, or speed. Sometimes, the simple act of being especially in moments of transformation is a story worth telling.
Would I Recommend It?
Yes. Particularly for viewers open to non-linear storytelling and films that center feeling over action. This is a short to feel, not just watch.
Protagonist & Her Goal A pregnant woman seeking emotional connection and inner peace as she prepares to welcome new life. Antagonist & Its Goal There’s no external villain just internal vulnerability: uncertainty, fear, isolation, and the emotional flux of pregnancy. Conflict The emotional push-pull between anticipation and fear, hope and fragility. Climax There’s no single dramatic moment—rather, a crescendo of tenderness and quiet acceptance built from a collage of small, human details. Resolution Ambiguity remains, but there’s peace.
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