A unique blend of psychological horror, biting social commentary, and dark comedy, We Strangers is a film that continually shifts its tone and genre, leaving audiences both unsettled and intrigued. Premiering at the LeFrak Theatre on March 9, the film was awarded the 2025 Athena Film Festival Breakthrough Award, marking a significant step in its journey toward broader recognition.
At its core, We Strangers begins as a comedy, driven by the antics of Ray (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), a housekeeper in Gary, Indiana. Struggling to make ends meet, Ray convinces her clients that she has the ability to communicate with the dead. The results are predictably amusing, as her unsuspecting employers—particularly the quirky Jean (Maria Dizzia) and the uptight Tracy (Sarah Goldberg)—fall for her act, leading to several moments of absurdity where Ray pretends to interact with spirits.
Though the initial humor is evident, the film takes on deeper layers as it progresses. Ray’s motivations for maintaining the charade are gradually revealed, though never fully explained. Her job exposes her to constant microaggressions and subtle humiliations. From Tracy offering her unflattering clothes to Sunny (Mischa Reddy), Tracy’s rebellious daughter, pressuring Ray into helping with petty schemes, Ray’s fake psychic act becomes a way for her to regain some semblance of control. Whether it’s an act of rebellion or simply a form of entertainment, Ray’s use of the supernatural serves as a coping mechanism against the everyday indignities of her life.
However, the film shifts gears midway, as its comedic surface begins to peel away, revealing darker and more surreal elements. Scenes once filled with laughter give way to unsettling imagery and bizarre sequences. Ray discovers a strange stain on a portrait of her employers and begins to experience inexplicable visions, such as a volcano surrounded by fog and a recurring, seemingly nonsensical blue bathroom. One of the most jarring moments occurs when Ray stumbles upon Tracy’s husband, Neeraj (Hari Dhillon), running on a treadmill until he falls and injures himself—a symbol of the growing tension within the film’s increasingly twisted narrative.
The boundary between reality and the supernatural blurs throughout We Strangers, with moments of clairvoyance that may or may not be real. The timeline becomes increasingly fragmented as Ray, overwhelmed by her responsibilities, begins to lose track of time, missing appointments and making mistakes in her personal life. The structure of the film mirrors Ray’s own unraveling mental state, leading the audience into an unpredictable emotional and psychological journey.
What truly grounds the film, however, is Howell-Baptiste’s performance. Ray is a complex character—tough, determined, and quick-witted, yet vulnerable and angry beneath her exterior. Howell-Baptiste masterfully portrays Ray’s inner turmoil, creating a character that is both compelling and relatable. Her moments of quiet rebellion and frustration provide emotional depth, while her interactions with friends and family reveal a side of her that is rarely visible to her employers.
In a Q&A following the screening, writer and director Anu Valia discussed the film’s exploration of class and the daily struggles of those living paycheck to paycheck. Valia emphasized how small acts of condescension and microaggressions subtly reflect the deep-seated class divisions that the film seeks to critique.
Valia also highlighted the importance of the film’s recognition at the Athena Film Festival, noting that the $25,000 Breakthrough Award has been instrumental in securing distribution opportunities. “We really were not able to distribute the movie if it wasn’t for this grant,” Valia said, expressing gratitude for the support that has allowed the film to reach a wider audience.
The film’s visual storytelling is further enriched by a striking recurring motif of a volcano—Mount Pele—that symbolizes Ray’s internal struggles. In the final scenes, the volcano erupts in a fiery display of red lava, echoing the chaos and emotional release that has built up throughout the film. According to Valia, this image, along with others in the film, was made possible through additional grants and a partnership with a VFX company in Poland, underscoring the financial challenges of bringing a film like We Strangers to life.
We Strangers is a breathtaking cinematic achievement, full of surreal beauty and moments of profound catharsis. In one standout sequence, Ray dances alone in a bar, lost in the music while the world around her remains oblivious. It’s a moment of pure release, mirroring the film’s exploration of personal liberation amidst the chaos of life. With its unpredictable narrative and haunting imagery, We Strangers proves to be a film that resonates on multiple levels—both disorienting and mesmerizing, it remains a bold statement about the human condition.
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