Writer/director team Brock Bodell and Daniel R. Perry are giving us grief. Which in this case might be a good thing. Running about fifteen minutes, Grief is about Kevin (Tyler Cook) and Esther (Lindsey Garrett, The Signal). A year ago their son Colt (Richard Aaron Anderson) went missing. Now as they try to deal with their anger and grief a mysterious stranger (Gabriel Burrafato) appears in the night.

Equal parts creepy and vague, Grief leaves a lot to the viewer’s interpretations. I watched it twice and noticed some of my perceptions changing between viewings. And yes, I googled “Phaedra” to try to figure it out. Ultimately the film seems to be something of a Rorschach test, how it’s interpreted will differ from viewer to viewer. And that will be a problem for viewers who want a film that gives answers to everything and doesn’t leave loose ends.

Grief is well shot and you can tell Bodell and Perry’s background is in editing. The way everything cuts together amplifies the tension and unease. And the confusion as to what is really going on. Which brings us back around to the original point. What are we seeing?

Grief is currently available on Alter’s website and their YouTube channel.