In ‘Every Day My Dad Dies’, Steven Rico crafts a raw and evocative narrative that tugs at the heartstrings with an unflinching look at the dualities of strength and vulnerability. Frank Voudy IV embodies Steven, a young wrestler whose training regimen is a desperate bid for success and an escape from the relentless decline of his father (Peter Speech). This short film hits hard, juxtaposing Steven’s burgeoning physical prowess against the backdrop of his father’s deteriorating health.

Rico’s choice to strip dialogue to a minimum is key to this film’s success, creating a visceral experience where every grunt of effort and pained breath resonates deeply. The slow, deliberate pacing allows viewers to truly sit with Steven’s struggle, amplifying the silent agony of watching a loved one fade away while pursuing personal triumph.

Doug Durant’s cinematography enhances this narrative, painting a visual poem of grief and resilience. The camera lingers on moments that might seem mundane – Steven’s exercise regime – but in doing so, it captures the profound isolation of loss and the suffocating weight of expectation. This meticulous attention to detail ensures the narrative pulses with meaning, every shadow and beam of light telling a part of Steven’s story.

Voudy’s performance is praiseworthy. He delivers a portrayal that is both intensely personal and universally relatable. His subtle expressions and physicality convey the internal war between his athletic ambitions and the crushing reality of his father’s illness. The film’s emotional climax, marked by his father’s death and Steven’s subsequent injury, propels him into an abyss of grief and doubt, challenging him to redefine his understanding of strength.

‘Every Day My Dad Dies’ is an emotional journey. It speaks to anyone who has faced the heart-wrenching task of balancing personal dreams with the inescapable presence of grief. Rico’s film is a haunting reminder that true strength is often found in our most vulnerable moments. Highly reccomended.