Falling in love after one normal interaction with a man? Relatable.
With Love and a Major Organ had its world premiere at SXSW. The film which is based on the play written by Julia Lederer and is directed by Kim Albright, is set in a world where everyone’s heart is an object and the pressures to suppress emotions are extreme. Yet we find that the main character, Anabel (Anna Maguire) leads her life with her heart. The film is full of metaphors, poetry and vulnerability. Though everyone in Anabel’s life seems okay with the way the world operates, Anabel wants more. She wants to find a genuine connection with someone and she wants to find something that exists outside of the apps that seem to rule everyone else’s life.
So of course when she has a chance encounter at the park with a stranger, George (Hamza Haq), she falls head over heels. Unfortunately George is unable to reciprocate the feelings and eventually rejects her, this happens right before a big fight her best friend. The fight with her best friend happens the same day she finds out her mother has died. After a series of events that leave her feeling lonely and heartbroken, she makes the extreme decision to rip out her own heart and send it to George so that he can use it instead. You’ll be happy to know that Anabel does eventually get her heart back, but that doesn’t come without its own journey and revelations. After all, George quickly discovers that a life with feeling is worth it after all.
Though some of you may know me as a person that can cry at any moment; I haven’t always been known as an emotional person. It took me a lot of years in therapy to reach this version of myself, now I couldn’t imagine being any other way. I love my vulnerability and though it’s often overwhelming, I would much rather be this than the person that used to suppress any and all feelings. Unfortunately there is a negative stigma around a person who is over-emotional but more specifically with women who lead with emotion. It’s seen as a weakness, but let me tell you something: I haven’t never been a stronger version of myself than I am now, tears and all. Recently I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the state of our world, there seems to be a lack of empathy that is just getting worse with each passing day. This movie reminds you of why feeling is so necessary and often life-changing.
With Love and a Major Organ, at times feels quirky but at the root of it is a level of vulnerability that we haven’t seen in a while. The film uses light and poetry in a way that demands that you find a connection to the subject matter. It forces you to feel and at a time when the world feels like it’s constantly attacking you, it’s a beautiful reminder that there is goodness that comes when you allow your heart to be open and remain in your chest … and no one else’s.
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