Canine by Paige Mansfield

Directed by Milly Fletcher

Dramaturgy: Aditri Khadilkar

Photography: Mia Marie

Cast:

Amy- Alina Estep

Steven- Donovan X. Guerin

Jenny- Leni Negrin

Jamie- Kaya Fitzpatrick

Note from the Dramaturg

Body swap is a trope that’s been used time and time again, traditionally seen in a coming of age film. The characters involved going through a transitionary period in their life. Their questions answered by the end, finding comfort in the chaos and creating a bond with their counterpart. This is not like those tales. Canine is a story that takes your typical body swap tale and flips it on its head. 

In this moment, we watch Amy and Jamie in the aftermath of an incident with Steven, the people he associates with, and the secrets he keeps. Steven is the connection between the two girls, both being involved with him romantically. Amy is freshly in this relationship with him, still getting to know him. Jamie begins to shatter the image Amy had of him by telling the truth about him and as an effect, changing the entire scope of the relationship between the three of them. 

Amy and Jamie don’t really know each other but despite that, it’s a moment of blind faith as Amy opens up to Jamie about her mother and what memories linger of her father after his passing. It feels like a therapy session, a space safe for vulnerability. It’s a contrast from the following scene, Amy with her actual therapist, Jenny. It makes you wonder what morals and lessons each character abides by. 

These three people get stuck in a cycle of control and power while confronting their own romantic feelings for each other. It begins to manifest itself towards the end of the scene when we see Amy and Jamie wake up in different bodies the next day. We, the audience, don’t think that another factor could be added in after the drug raid and Jamie coming to Amy’s rescue but we’re left with the questions what comes next? And how will this change their lives?