Director Brit Hensel’s Short THIN PLACES: Exploring the Space Between Life and Death

2025-07-07

Ladies and gentlemen, THIN PLACES is about Birdie’s sister Tama’s untimely passing. Birdie learns that the bond between them is stronger than life and death. In between states of memory and heartbreak, Tama and Birdie show how we can continue on in a different way if we are willing to listen. I’ve done many interviews on the subject of grief. Talking with experts, but also many filmmakers. Brit Hensel’s THIN PLACES is one of the few films that captures loss, grief and love with a deep emotional and spi...

I’ve done many interviews on the subject of grief. Talking with experts, but also many filmmakers. Brit Hensel’s THIN PLACES is one of the few films that captures loss, grief and love with a deep emotional and spiritual tone rarely captured on film.

The perfect casting of Shelby Factor and Quannah Chasinghorse makes your believe they are truly sisters.

The cinematography and the color palette play a vital role in this film and I wish more and more filmmakers will take some tips from this film. Sometimes a story is better told, when elements like camera movement, color and editing are elevated and treated like an invisible actor.

THIN PLACES is a beautiful film that will reach into the audience’s heart and for some, it will bring understanding and healing. Knowing that the distance between life and death is closer than you think.

GUEST

Award-winning film director Brit Hensel whose work has been featured at Sundance, imagineNATIVE, Hot Docs, and Full Frame.

A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, she is the first female enrolled member of the tribe to direct a film selected by the Sundance Film Festival.

In 2021, Brit received four regional Emmy Awards for her work as a producer and director on the documentary series Osiyo: Voices of the Cherokee People. She also served as 2nd AC on the Emmy-nominated FX series Reservation Dogs.

In 2022, her short film (What They’ve Been Taught) premiered at Sundance, was nominated for Best Short Documentary at the 38th IDA Documentary Awards.

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