This Poetic Documentary Offers an Intimate Portrait into a Breast Cancer Journey

RSA Films director Lorena Medina chronicles her experience of breast cancer avant-garde film 'Luxury Alphabet.' The short, which recently premiered on the Girls in Film platform, is a poetic documentary offering an intimate portrayal of Lorena’s emotional journey, told through a collage of Lorena’s mixed-media style.

With work recognised across top industry events like SXSW, One Screen Film Festival, Art Directors Club Awards, Cíclope Festival, and the Cannes Lions, Lorena boasts a decorated background in blending film, animation, art direction and other techniques into powerfully resonant narratives. She brings a similar multi-media approach to give form to the complex range of sentiments triggered by her diagnosis.

Structured loosely to the alphabet, each scene focuses on a different emotion Lorena faced throughout - from feelings of betrayal to fear to ultimate strength. As she processed this emotional evolution, Lorena funnelled these intimate revelations into the making of the film. While she initially took a positive approach, this cathartic creative work peels back the layers to reveal the deeper complexities of coping with life-altering illness.

Through 'Luxury Alphabet,' Lorena uses her signature style to offer insight, solidarity and meaning to others walking similar uncharted paths after a devastating diagnosis. Blending raw emotion with her unique visual voice, this film chronicles the profound mindset shift when confronted with one’s own mortality.