Eva Victor’s Unexpected Journey Through Grief and Creativity
In the spring of 2024, Eva Victor found themselves caught in an unanticipated moment of despair and serendipity. Drenched by relentless rain and overwhelmed by disappointment, the filmmaker-who prefers they/she pronouns-was in the midst of directing their debut feature, “Sorry, Baby,” set against the scenic backdrop of Ipswich, Massachusetts. During a brief pause in the intense 24-day filming schedule, Victor received a message from their mother revealing that an ancestor named Lydia was buried nearby. Driven by curiosity and a desire for connection, Victor took a break to locate Lydia’s grave, hoping to uncover some profound insight. Instead, they stood in a cemetery amid a torrential storm, unable to find any marker bearing Lydia’s name.
“I thought, ‘This is absolutely wild,'” Victor recalled during a May interview at the Ritz-Carlton in Georgetown. Yet, they also acknowledged how fitting such an experience was for their creative persona.
Parallel Realities: Life and Fiction Intertwined
The real-life scene echoed the narrative of Victor’s film, which masterfully balances dark humor with deep empathy. “Sorry, Baby,” recently premiered in Washington D.C., explores the aftermath of sexual assault through the eyes of Agnes, a character who embodies resilience and vulnerability. The screenplay, penned by Victor-who has personally experienced similar trauma-delivers a nonlinear, nuanced portrayal of devastation and healing. The film’s tone is understated, avoiding melodrama; emotional shifts unfold gradually, with Agnes often remaining still as life continues to swirl around her.
“My goal was to depict what it feels like to be stuck, to experience a world that seems to move faster than you,” Victor explained. This theme resonates deeply with many viewers navigating trauma and recovery today.
The Power of Chosen Family and Unexpected Connections
Amidst the narrative’s exploration of trauma, humor emerges as a vital element, especially through Agnes’s closest confidante-Lydia, played by Naomi Ackie (“Mickey 17,” “Blink Twice”). The character’s name was already a part of Victor’s story before they received their mother’s message, prompting reflections on fate and the unseen forces shaping our lives. Victor mused, “Perhaps the fictional Lydia was meant to serve a different role-one that the real Lydia couldn’t fulfill.”
“Sorry, Baby” emphasizes the importance of chosen family in the healing process. The story spans five years, during which Lydia-affectionately called Lydie-visits Agnes at their shared college residence. While Agnes remains rooted in the small New England town, working as an adjunct professor, Lydia moves on-married, with a child-highlighting the contrasting paths of growth and stagnation. This divergence underscores how difficult it can be for survivors to move past their trauma, even as loved ones forge ahead.
“It’s incredibly complex when you see your friend stuck in a cycle of trauma,” Ackie shared in a phone interview. “Yet, despite that, there’s a profound love and respect rooted in the shared experience of growing up together during such pivotal years.”
From Viral Comedy to Serious Storytelling
The journey to this deeply personal project began unexpectedly during the pandemic when Victor received a direct message from Barry Jenkins, the acclaimed director of “Moonlight.” Jenkins, who had admired Victor’s viral comedy sketches-such as a satirical video explaining “straight pride”-encouraged them to reach out to his production company, Pastel. This moment felt like destiny, as Victor had been eager to explore themes of healing and trauma in their work. While previous projects leaned toward comedy, Jenkins’s focus on drama inspired Victor to pivot their tone. They wrote “Sorry, Baby” during a secluded winter in Maine and shared the screenplay with Pastel in early 2021.
Adele Romanski, Jenkins’s producing partner, was immediately impressed by the script’s depth and maturity. The team at Pastel asked Victor how they envisioned participating-whether as an actor or director. Victor expressed a desire to direct, having already gained acting experience through appearances in series like “Billions.” The production team assured them that their directorial debut was within reach, especially given Victor’s online work demonstrating their ability to craft compelling visual stories.
Critical Acclaim and Festival Success
In January, “Sorry, Baby” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, earning widespread praise. Vanity Fair called it an “auspicious debut,” while Variety lauded its “warm and compassionate” writing. IndieWire’s Kate Erbland highlighted Victor’s nuanced approach, emphasizing that the film prioritizes healing over violence-an intentional choice that reflects the complexities of real life. The nonlinear structure means the audience only learns the full scope of Agnes’s assault midway through, when she confides in her friend after a distressing encounter with her thesis advisor. Agnes’s recounting, delivered from a bathtub, underscores the importance of listening and support in the aftermath of trauma.
Personal Reflection and Systemic Critique
Victor prefers to keep their own experiences private, but they acknowledge that much of their personal journey informs the film. They critique systemic failures in institutions like universities and healthcare, which often neglect or retraumatize survivors. A poignant scene depicts Agnes facing skepticism from a male doctor who questions her delay in seeking help, illustrating how institutional insensitivity can compound trauma. Victor describes Agnes’s choice to stay and work in the very office once occupied by her attacker as an act of reclamation-a reclaiming of agency and space that was once taken from her. Directing “Sorry, Baby” allowed Victor to process their own trauma, regaining control over their narrative and body.
Balancing Darkness with Humor
Despite its heavy themes, “Sorry, Baby” surprises viewers with moments of levity. Ackie’s favorite scene captures the roommates joking about men’s bizarre behaviors during intimacy, a candid and humorous exchange that took numerous takes to perfect. Victor meticulously balanced tone during editing, ensuring that humor complemented the serious material without undermining its gravity. Scenes involving Agnes’s interactions with her neighbor and potential love interest, Gavin (Lucas Hedges), blend cringe comedy with poignant reflection. A jury duty scene, where Agnes struggles with her biases, exemplifies how even mundane situations can be triggers, depicted with a sharp, sitcom-like absurdity.
The Emotional Impact of a Delicate Balance
Victor admits that maintaining the right tone was a delicate act, especially during Sundance’s premiere, where they hoped audiences could privately process the film’s intense moments while also sharing in its lighter, hopeful aspects. Hearing genuine laughter at appropriate moments was a relief, affirming that the film’s emotional balance resonated. “This isn’t just my story,” Victor reflected. “It’s a collective experience-one that we all share in the process of understanding and healing.”