Embrace is an animated short film about asexuality--an orientation generally defined by a lack of sexual attraction, regardless of gender. The narrative explores the common asexual experience of feeling different than most of the population, and the isolation, confusion, and self-loathing that difference can create. However, the story also emphasizes the self-love and joy that can come from recognition of one's asexuality and the asexual community, and how it's possible to embrace the orientation by viewing it in a different light.

Director Statement: I realized I was asexual when I stumbled across the term online at the age of 17. At the time, I was overcome with emotions, but primarily by an overwhelming sense of relief. Relief that there wasn't anything wrong with me, and that there was a word and a community for people like me who didn't feel sexual attraction to others. My college years warred between a blooming pride in this new part of my identity, as well as a hopeless feeling of isolation and brokenness as I navigated dating in a very sex-heavy environment. It was years before I truly learned to embrace and love my asexuality as part of myself, viewing it not as something that makes me broken, but as part of what makes me who I am.

​

Embrace is a visualization of this emotional journey, condensed into a fictional animated short film. Amani follows the exact same milestones in discovering, wrestling with, and learning to embrace her asexuality, and I hope that in sharing both her story and my own I can connect with other asexual individuals. There is far too little positive asexual representation in the world, so I wanted to create Embrace to help empower, support and unite the asexual community.