Michael, Emmadri, and the Mermaid

Natural disasters are probably one of the top inevitables that strikes us hard while we live here on earth. No matter where you are, what religion or race you belong, how rich or poor you may be, when it strikes, it strikes. And sometimes, when mother nature lets out her wrath, it hits so strong that it leaves many of us homeless, lifeless, and traumatized. A common example of nature’s wrath we often experience are the hurricanes. And looking back in history, hurricanes have long and frightful archives of entering and exiting the United States, particularly in the states of Texas, North Carolina, New Orleans, and Florida. Where Harvey, Dorian, Sandy, Andrew, Irma, Katrina, and Michael becomes household names that will forever remind us of heartrending disasters of this generation. I still get chills down my spine whenever I look back on the news about Hurricane Michael. The feeling of sadness like I am being crushed is still fresh, my heart goes out to all the people that were affected by this tragedy. Today my dear readers, we are going to travel back in time, almost a year ago, when category 5 Hurricane Michael made his extreme presence felt in the contiguous United States, in the beautiful and compelling family drama “Michael, Emmadri, and the Mermaid” created by Ryan Dougall.

Remembering the chaos left by Hurricane Michael is undoubtedly devastating. For adults like us, seeing everything you’ve worked for perished by storm and flood felt like being a helpless child left in the middle of nowhere, lost where to begin. That no matter how much you have prepared, the devastation is overwhelming physically, mentally, and emotionally. But how much more in the eyes of a child? The once full of wonder, beautiful and vibrant world with all the colors and smiles turned into a sea of debris, sorrow, and gloom. That is where the story of “Michael, Emmadri, and the Mermaid” took me, the aftermath of the calamity. Where Emmadri’s family struggles to find shelter, from one closed door to another, driving off to where their gasoline can take them. A truly sad scenario which often happens in reality while faced in the same situation. The world becomes more unjust than it already is, and the challenge of physical welfare clouds our ability to check on the emotional state of the little ones, who are oblivious and are overwhelmed too by the situation.

I am moved by director Ryan Dougall. He used life experiences and talent in storytelling to exhibit a significant story that will remind us of the essential details we miss when we look at the big picture. I was also impressed by the challenge he took by looking through the perspective of a four-year-old child (Emmadri), who was excellently portrayed by the lovely Liyah Hinds, and he did it remarkable and genuine. As a parent with little children, I saw his kind intensions of revealing a viewpoint beyond what we see, a viewpoint we need to prioritize at all cost.

I love this film. A significant family movie we all need to watch. Plus the quality of this short film hits all the checkmark for an outstanding movie, and the ensemble cast led by Liyah Hinds, Rita Cole, David Hinds, and Eliana Ghen did a great job too. This movie was made with a pure heart and brilliant talent in film making, amazing job to director Ryan Dougall and his team that made this film possible, Cheers!