CW: suicide, depression
Directed by Nicole Melillo, the fantasy short The Cab took home the Jury Award for Best Short Film at the 2023 Bentonville Film Festival. With its fresh take on mental health, the short film’s praise is well-deserved.
The Cab follows a young woman with depression through a fantastical ride in a New York City taxicab. The passenger Eva realizes she’s in no ordinary cab, rather a spiritual limbo to determine her final resting place after committing suicide. With the help of the Cabbie, who acts like a therapist, Eva must confront the darkest parts of herself to grant safe passage.
Depression is a complex and widely misunderstood mental illness. Those who haven’t experienced depression think it’s similar to sadness, or a mental state that you can turn “on” or “off,” like a light switch—both assumptions are incorrect. By using fantastical imagery— the cab shattering into shards, the red snow pelting the windows, a shadowy figure stepping out of a mirror—Melillo shows viewers what depression can feel like, rather than telling them. Words sometimes feel too bland, too coarse, to communicate the extent of the darkness engulfing your reality. Melillo reaches deep into the heart of human existence and creates an experience that transcends language.
The key focus of the film is the dialogue between Eva and the Cabbie, whose interactions give further insight into the mind of depression. When Eva first gets into the cab, she seems lost. The Cabbie takes notice and responds with a gentle chuckle. What follows is a conversation that crescendos in tension, mirrored by the stormy landscape, raised voices, and fast camera cuts. The Cabbie counters Eva’s defensive “I’m fine’s” with hard truths, the TV in the cab shows grainy flashbacks of Eva’s memories, while Eva resists the advances and grows more irritated. However, when forced to sit with her pain, Eva seems to find some relief. She shares with the Cabbie thoughts she’s hidden from her family and friends, thoughts like “I’m a burden” or “They’re better off without me.” She abandons her composure and expresses her emotions, her tears.
Sometimes, it’s easier to confide in strangers, which doesn’t make sense. But depression is not logical. The lives it succeeds in taking often leave family and friends disoriented, racked with grief.
Whether you or someone you know is dealing with depression, The Cab is a must-watch. By watching films that show someone in your shoes, you know you’re not alone. By educating yourself on mental illness, you gain more power to support loved ones and help create a healthier future for generations to come.
