I realize a 29 minute character drama is a tough sell on the internet, but Jordan Bayne’s The Sea is All I Know is a film of high cinematic collateral. In consideration for an Academy Award back in 2012 and starring Oscar winner Melissa Leo and renowned character actor Peter Gerety, it’s a short that patiently explores the concept of loss as an estranged couple takes care of their dying daughter.

If I’m being perfectly up-front, this is a movie that feels very much like an “awards film.” Filled with dramatic gravitas and “set-pieces” designed to let Leo and Gerrety Act (yes, with a capital “A”), The Sea is All I Know isn’t exactly light viewing. But, I can’t fault a film for executing its formula well. Impressively shot and bolstered by two performances that are big without every being showy, it has all the impact of a studio feature condensed down to 30 minutes. It’s little surprise that the film had a strong festival run, picking up accolades across the world from Palm Springs to Cannes. Like I said, this is award caliber material. It’s all the more impressive that this is only director Jordan Bayne’s second short.

As the film progresses, the relationship that builds between Sara and Sonny is as textured as it is real. Bayne uses her Salt of the Earth protagonists to explore a litany of dramatic themes, from hope to love to regret. While their daughter’s imminent death is the catalyst that drives forth the plot, the film goes much deeper than what the basic synopsis would suggest. Now estranged, Sara and Sonny have only their daughter as a physical link binding them together. Since she is about to pass, the link will ostensibly break. Yes, that notion is devastatingly sad (as Sonny references in the film, it’s unnatural for a child to die before her parents), but is there not some sort of relief in knowing that our flawed heroes no-longer owe one another something? And, more to the point, how does one process the guilt that comes from having such selfish, morbid thoughts—of using death as an excuse to abandon a connection to another person?

Needless to say, this is an intricate film that is difficult to sum up in a simple logline. And, well, it’s that complexity that makes Sea’s lengthy runtime feel warranted. Life is messy, complex, and in death, depressingly unceremonious. The Sea is All I Know doesn’t provide easy, convenient answers to any of the subjects in which it addresses, but it does explore them in ways that are realistic and heartbreaking, and most importantly, cinematically rewarding.

If you are interested in learning more about Jordan Bayne’s decision to release this film online for free (as opposed to going through a distributor), check out the article she wrote on the subject.