RISING TO THE SURFACE

A film by Serani

Starring Emily Holden

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LOGLINE

A woman sinks beneath the surface in a stark, underwater portrait of trauma and survival—told in just 59 seconds, Rising to the Surface is a quiet act of defiance and a reclaiming of voice.

SYNOPSIS

Rising to the Surface is a 59-second experimental short film that unfolds entirely underwater. Stripped of dialogue, score, and polish, it immerses the viewer in the physical metaphor of trauma—what it feels like to sink, and the fragile, deliberate act of coming back up. Shot solo on a shoestring budget, the film reflects director Serani’s return to storytelling after years away from the industry, and her personal journey through PTSD.

This isn’t a narrative in the traditional sense. It’s a visceral, cathartic fragment—part memory, part protest, part ritual. In its simplicity lies its power. No exposition, no embellishment. Just one woman, one shot, and one act of rising.

CREDITS

Writer/Director: Serani

Cinematography/Editing: Serani

Cast: Emily Holden

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

I crafted ‘Rising to the Surface’ to capture a moment of reversal: one choice, one breath, one chance. In under a minute, I wanted viewers to feel a visceral shift - from surrender to hope, from depth to air. The brevity demanded emotional precision: visual rhythm, deep emotion, and minimal credits all serve the emotional arc, not detract from it. That it moved several viewers to tears shows the power of concise storytelling. This film explores resilience in its purest form: no exposition, no fluff - just one instant that defines survival.

Director Bio

Serani began her film career in 1991, working in production on international features alongside icons like Bruce Beresford, Sean Connery and Eric Roberts. From that high-octane start, she shifted into directing music videos for Sony BMG and EMI Records through the 90s, developing a sharp eye for visual storytelling.

In 2011, she won a Mofilm USA Super Bowl award for a Chevrolet commercial she directed - an audacious comedic piece that marked her as a director with both style and substance.
Her first narrative short, ICEVILLE, a black comedy-drama filmed in Bangkok, was a passion project that explored the absurdities of human behavior with dark humor and emotional nuance.
From there, she stepped into an executive producing role in Prague, leading the commercial division of Production Inc. - co-producers of Quinton Tarantino’s “Hostel” and “A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”. It was nine months of high-stakes global production, expanding her creative and strategic range.

After a break from the industry, Serani re-emerged in 2025 with a new lens - this time as a photographer. Her work, often cinematic and emotionally charged, focuses on women but resists easy categorization. Beauty, editorial, raw portraiture - she moves between them with fluidity and intention.
Her latest short film, Rising to the Surface, marks her return to directing. Shot underwater, it’s a visceral, cathartic piece; a visual metaphor for her journey as a PTSD survivor reclaiming her voice and vision. It’s not just a film. It’s a declaration: she’s back, and she’s got something to say.