We all keep secrets. But whether it’s to preserve our own dignity or protect those we love, concealing the truth often comes at a price. Yet sometimes all it takes is a stranger’s ear to lift that weight off your shoulders and provide the comfort you desperately crave. Unfolding almost entirely in the confines of a lingerie changing room, Fitting is the gripping story of two women and their life-changing encounter.

Inspired by a fateful chain of events in director Emily Avila’s personal life, this 14-minute drama is an emotionally charged powerhouse, which insists that a secret shared is indeed a secret halved. Rich in sympathy, sensitivity and insight, Fitting will move you, maybe even to tears, because though the subject matter is tough, the message we takeaway is defiant and hugely uplifting.

The film tells the story of a woman, who has recently undergone an emergency mastectomy, on a search for a new bra to go with the dress for her daughter’s wedding. After meeting the young bra fitter, the two women set off on a mission to find the right lingerie. Set mostly inside the small fitting room, with tight, textural shots, Fitting is an intimate portrayal of two characters and the emotional journey they embark on together.

The idea for Fitting came to Avila through a series of momentous events. Her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer, which was quickly followed by a single mastectomy and chemotherapy. Around the same time, the director’s husband started working with breast cancer patients undergoing surgery, and she noticed that there were similarities between them and her grandmother in the way they dealt with their situation. They were all strong and brave women, who didn’t want to be anyone’s burden and rarely revealed any signs of pain or self-pity.

Then one day, Avila was looking for a new bra herself, when she overheard a conversation from the fitting across from hers, between a woman who had recently had a mastectomy and a bra fitter. “They spoke in hushed tones, some strange intimacy and camaraderie struck between them as they shared the pursuit of a ‘perfect bra’. As I sat there eavesdropping, the idea for Fitting was born.” – Avila explained.

“I made this film to connect with anyone going through something quietly”

When we asked about the film’s impact, the director shared that: “Initially, I anticipated that this film would resonate most with people and families with lives affected by cancer. However since we began the festival circuit, I’ve observed it trigger people in ways that are surprisingly wide-reaching. Illness, surgery, infidelity – secrets withheld for the sake of preserving happiness and preserving the status quo. So, I guess I made this film to connect with anyone going through something quietly”.

This is why Fitting is such a powerful watch. With utmost grace and empathy, Avila delivers a sensitively handled portrayal of a woman dealing with breast cancer, desperate to protect her family from the pain she is herself drowning in. On this front alone, Fitting is a beautiful, human tale to behold. But when we recognise the secrecy, the familiar need to share our quiet suffering and fears, when we see ourselves in those vivid characters, this is when the message really hits home and the film truly shines.

Avila is Currently working on two feature films including an adaptation of her short film ‘In a Cane Field‘ as well as a mystery series set on the Great Barrier Reef called Fortuna. We are huge fans of her work so we promise to keep an eye out for it and keep you posted!