Georg Csarmann
Anyone who has ever had trouble falling asleep will instantly be able to relate to Alice in Somnia, a charming comedy about titular 30-something Alice, who has to confront her past, her fears and her annoyances, as well as her tiny bladder, to ultimately overcome the obstacles of her own mind. Employing absurd humour, director Emma Debany and writer/actor Bree Doehring use the often surreal nature of needless bureaucracy to perfectly illustrate the unnerving catch-22 loop of bedtime rituals for someone who suffers from a sleep disorder.
In the opening seconds of Alice in Somnia’s 12-minute runtime, the very first thing we hear are soothing voices (playing over the titles) reminiscent of various sleep meditations. As we’re snapped out of this early trance-like state, we find join Alice, waking in a waiting room seemingly straight out of the 1980s, our hero only clad in an oversized, washed-out t-shirt and short shorts.
Right from the outset, we feel that everything is slightly detached from reality. The surroundings evoke a dreamlike state, even though in this case Alice might wish that this was in fact a dream–as that would mean she was finally able to sleep! The character’s exasperation is evident in each one of Doehring’s expressive facial cues, which simultaneously mirror and comment on the powerlessness of her quasi-purgatory. Will she ever be able to make it through the door to Sleep (in this case, a literal place)?
Bree Doehring as Alice, a sufferer of a sleep disorder who finds herself in sleep’s waiting room
Of course, all of this happens in the night before an important interview, which makes it even more frustrating for the character and harder to calm down at the same time. As with any DMV-like institution that is worth its money, Alice needs to fill out various forms with unnecessary questions–representing exactly the kind of things that might pop into one’s head in the middle of the night, like “Most Embarassing Moment”. Now there’s something to think about to keep you awake while achieving exactly nothing. Thankfully, we at least get to see Alice’s most embarrassing moment for comedic effect, but you have to watch the film to see it for yourself.
Even for those among us who haven’t had to deal with severe insomnia, most of you probably know what it feels like to negotiate with your subconsciousness while trying to fall asleep. It’s like telling someone to “just relax” when they are stressed… wouldn’t that be nice. If you have struggled with similar issues in the past or are currently burdened with some form of sleep disorder (and I personally count myself among this group), it comes as no surprise to hear that Alice in Somnia was inspired by real-life experiences, given how on-point the ironies of Alice’s journey feel.
Will Alice ever get to travel through the door to sleep?
Written by the film’s star, after another instance of nocturnal restlessness, Doehring provides a somewhat hopeful spin on this dire state by sharing that: “Unfortunately, I still deal with sleepless nights on occasion, but at least now I know that good things can come from them.” Although it is a very specific form of struggle, one shouldn’t underestimate the negative effects that bad sleep has on the quality of life. As is often the case with art, and comedy in particular, the approach of turning pain into something useful paid off. “At first, writing the script felt like therapy. It was a way for me to show others what I was feeling, to strip this annoyance of its power and to laugh at it instead.” For us as an audience, it can be an opportunity to laugh with her and find comfort in knowing that we’re not alone with this problem.
The collaboration with commercial director Emma Debany, who describes her narrative work as films which “celebrate the absurd, embraces the ironic, and explores the darkly surreal,” proved to be a perfect fit for the sensibilities of Doehring’s script. The retro-feel of the waiting room’s production design and Kobi Libii’s performance as the drab-clothed, deadpan “sleep attendant” perfectly reflecting the quixotic nature of Alice’s inner desperation–as someone who’s exhausted to the brink, yet can’t fall asleep.
Doehring is currently developing a series around the character of Alice, and I for one can’t wait to see what kind of awkward hijinks her alter ego will get herself into. Watch the behind-the-scenes video to learn more about the making of the film and its creators.