Live, Sleep, Die

Miguel Romero

Live, Sleep, or Die is a culmination of what it is to live life, enjoying the little moments, or even feeling grateful to live another breathing day until your life takes an unexpected turn. The film highlights themes of mental health and how any obstacles in our life can cause the decline to our mental health.

Inspired by films & shorts that tend to break conventional narratives in depicting mental health issues, this story is told through a non-linear narrative structure. The first chapter, Live, showcases a protagonist who used to be in a state of peace and tranquility until the complications of his life started to arise, which then took a toll on his mental health. The second chapter, Sleep, is told through a secondary character who has already faced a brutal complication of his life and how he supposedly found a solution to his problems through substance abuse. The last chapter, Die, is the conclusion to all of their poor decision-making, and highlights the importance of keeping yourself alive even through the toughest times.

Visual storytelling will be the backbone of this piece, showing how a certain scene can convey a particular meaning. In all, I hope someone who is struggling with any type of mental health issue will find reassurance in this film. 

About the Artist

As an artist and filmmaker, I aim to capture a reality so grounded and thought-provoking that I want the viewer to be challenged with the themes I present to them. With that, my work tends to focus on a fundamental look at mental health. To me, mental health is a significant topic that needs to be acknowledged. Many films tend to highlight this topic such as: “Birdman,” “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” and “Requiem for a Dream.” Those films happen to be the essential influences on this short film and they certainly left an impression that gave me the inspiration to create films of my own. Movies like these can absolutely bring forth a unique and visceral experience that can not only challenge the viewer, but touch upon something deep, to provide a perspective on life, and my ultimate goal is to replicate this feeling. To that, the short form, Live, Sleep, or Die, is a culmination of the prominent themes I aim to explore within all of my works. I hope that the film leaves an instrumental mark on somebody who is suffering from any mental health issue, or who is simply trying to seek through a particular lens that I offer.

Additional Documentation