Eggshells - A Short Film About Domestic Abuse (coercive control, gaslighting, domestic violence)

A Made By Mortals production, Eggshells is a short film about domestic abuse in older adults.

It has been co-produced by a team of professional artists, partners in health and social care and a group of women who have courageously shared their lived experience for the benefit of other people.

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#domesticabuseawareness #domesticviolence #domesticabuse #coercivecontrol #gaslighting
#ukflim #shortfilm
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Eggshells was commissioned by Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board in partnership with Social Care and Society Manchester, and funded by The Ideas Fund, who are delivered by the British Science Association and funded by Wellcome.

[christineaustin]

There is something fundamentally wrong with any relationship when "they" leave the room and you start to feel better.

[Goursome]

I like how they made an older person the protagonist

It's never too late.

[kierstenridout]

when she was getting all dolled up and he made fun of her calling her a clown TEARS IN MY EYES

[ignatiusequality]

Being single is 1000x better than living with an abuser.

[SickTwistedQueen]

I love that they are an older couple with a wedding photo of when they were young; it truly highlights how long people can be stuck in that hell.

[erinmc]

I think the most frightening part of it all is ironically the few scenes in between where they're having quality time together. Things like the cuddling and the kisses and the flowers. Its the "good times" and the love bombing that makes it incredibly difficult to leave or even see the abuse happening in front of you, this short film was utterly haunting

[scampjac]

And you think that it isn’t abuse because he doesn’t hit you, but it is. I spent 25 years in a marriage like that. Everyone else thought he was so charming and such a great guy. But living with him felt like my soul was dying. My daughters and I continue to heal though and for that I am grateful.

[theslitherysylvie]

The scene where she held hands with her younger, bridal self was so heartbreaking- she looked as if she was so sorry to her younger self, and her bridal self looked so shattered by what life had become.

[EllspethRoberts]

Living alone is so much better than living with an abuser. He is gone and I am healing. Freedom.

[yvetteandjorgenlarsen]

I remarried 3 years after my wonderful husband passed away. The very evening of the day we got married, I felt like something was strange. The next morning, I woke up and felt this strange cold 'breeze' blow through the house that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The only way I have to describe what followed is It was like somebody flipped a switch in him from good to evil. After 3 months of his crazy unwarranted terrorizing, I got a lawyer, filed for divorce and got a restraining order. The judge warned him not to even raise his voice to me, or he would go straight to jail! Thank God I never gave him any access to any of my financial accounts.

[whopper]

OMG yes, I was married to a gaslighting, manipulative, abusive, narcissist for 14 years and this was a HUGE part of it. I don't think a lot of people realize how common and or awful this really is. I'm so blessed to have been married the last 9 years to the most wonderful man. Complete opposite of my ex husband

[davidsonjudy]

Married 35 years and walked on eggshells most of it. He finally left for another and for once I was free. My Mom said she had her daughter back. It is hard to have others understand this, but I do.

[justanothermortal]

The part where he was making fun of her while she was doing her lipstick, calling her a "clown". That just broke my heart. She looked so hurt :(.

[wildmiloko]

Walked out in my husband today because of this. Most proud ive ever been

[Gzrigel]

I am just scared. Scared of all men. Scared of marriage. Scared of being in a relationship. JUST SCARED.
Ig I'll just prefer being alone.

[pallawi]

This is what happens to majority of married women in India. I've seen so many of them deal with all this in my own family.

[DKGNY_]

One time, I was showing my ex an outfit and i was twirling around. I said that i was so happy that I had worked hard to lose weight. I was so happy in that moment until he said something mean about my appearance. When I got upset, he said that he was "just being honest" and that I was "too sensitive."

[joninelkolbinson]

It took me 9 years, 4 months and 14 days to escape.
I didn’t dare tell family or friends what I’d been going through for fear he’d find out, and living in a small rural area everyone knows everyone there were no support groups I could trust.
Instead, I had Julia Roberts.
“Sleeping with the Enemy” gave me the strength I needed to escape.

[sandyjohnson]

I was in a marriage with a husband that was full of rage. Anything and I mean anything could make him explode. He would turn on a dime. It was everyone else’s fault for his lot in life. After 10 years and the birth of my daughter, I had the courage to leave as I didn’t want my daughter growing up in that type of environment. Now, 32 years later, my daughter is exactly the same way. Anything can make her explode and it’s everyone else’s fault for the way she is - according to her. She didn’t even know him, so the behavior was not learned. I simply can’t go back to this walking on egg shell type of life. I can’t allow my daughter into my life, because I again have to save myself because no one else will. It’s devastating.

[squangan]

As a man who experienced two of these type of relationships in my younger years I can say that this type of behaviour isn’t limited to one gender by any means. Going through it however really gave me an appreciation for my wife of almost 20 years now where there are none of the emotional games, guilt trips, very little stress and a deep appreciation and understanding for each other.