Independent film has always been the safe haven for stories that don’t fit into the mainstream, and without the intrepid revolutionaries that pioneered the movement over half a century ago, many of these stories would’ve been lost to the ether. While certainly now far-removed from the time in which it was synonymous with underground art, and the grittier and more caustic associations that come with it, independent cinema tends to retain a particularly jagged edge that is best demonstrated in debut features, which are often executed with a fearlessness that hearkens back to the origins of the movement, since they’re all films being made by young directors trying to prove that they are worth being in the industry. Added to this, we have an element of independent cinema offering a platform to distinct and unique voices from a wide range of demographics, many artists who don’t fit into the preconceived standards of what it means to be a film director flourishing with smaller studios. All of this goes towards describing Shiva Baby, the directorial debut by Emma Seligman, a young, queer director who tells a story that is very dear to her, accompanied by a cast of incredible performers, and a script that is as bitingly hilarious as it is bleak and discomfiting, turning this film into one of the most fascinating character studies of recent years, and an ambitious entrance for a filmmaker who seems to be well on her way to establishing herself as an indelible part of an industry that is growing to be far more receptive to these kinds of stories, and the people who tell them.

The film centres on Danielle (Rachel Sennott), a young, twenty-something Jewish woman who is spending her day where every person who age is clamouring to be – a shiva for a distant relation. Her reasons for going aren’t very clear – it is most likely as a way of appeasing her parents (Polly Draper and Fred Melamed), who are growing increasingly worried that their daughter doesn’t have clear direction in life. Her presence here is her attempt to show that she can make an adult decision and show up when she needs to be somewhere important. However, she realizes what a poor choice this was when two of the people she was hoping would not show up find their way there, causing her to become irrevocably stressed. The first is Maya (Molly Gordon), her ex-girlfriend who she has not seen since their difficult break-up a few months prior, and the other is Max (Danny Deferrari), an older man who Danielle has been secretly seeing, as he not only gives her the sense of attention she craves, but also helps fund her often ridiculous expenses, making her something of a sugar baby. To make matters worse, Maya still holds a strong animosity for Danielle and has been racking her brain to find some way to get revenge, while Max is there with his wife, Kim (Dianna Agron), who herself has recently given birth to a baby, with Danielle not realizing that the man she had been having a passionate relationship with is actually a married man, their relations being nothing but a secretive affair. Caught in between these two conflicting forces, as well as being surrounded by pressure from the family around her, Danielle slowly starts to unravel, with her carefully composed dignity gradually eroding as the tensions continue to rise.

Shiva Baby is a film that follows a recent trend of taking short-subject films and stretching them to feature-length projects, with these stories warranting a much bigger platform. Seligman’s work here is absolutely impeccable, and she establishes herself as someone who we shouldn’t ignore, since if this film is anything to judge her on, she is going to become an exciting voice in contemporary cinema. At only 77 minutes, Shiva Baby is an absolute delight that breezes by without any real difficulty, and Seligman does everything she can to hold our attention, especially at the moments where we can see non-sequiturs were put in to pad the film and get it to the required length. For the most part, this film is a fascinating little comedy that covers some serious issues in a way that is insightful and funny, without being too excessive, or flippant to the graver concepts that serve as its foundation. Its ability to seamlessly oscillate between hilarious comedy and more grim introspection is incredibly powerful, and lends the film a certain gravitas that we might not expect based on its premise and the subject matter. Seligman is in control from beginning to end, telling a gripping story of familial tension that comes to us in the form of a fun but occasionally unsettling comedy-of-manner that manages to plumb some serious emotional depths, while still taking the time to entertain us. It may not be a film that is particularly perfect, but its merits far outweigh the more disconcerting aspects of its production, and allows it to become unforgettable in its own way.

Joining the small but unforgettable canon of films that take place at funerals or memorial services, Shiva Baby is a compelling film that finds space for some serious discussions, even if they’re relatively few and far between. It’s quite surprising that Seligman wasn’t adapting a play, since this film has many of the more interesting qualities of a stage-to-screen adaptation – a small cast of actors doing impeccable work, the restriction to a single location, and a dialogue-driven story that uses its characters to convey certain messages. The viewer watches as the relationship between various individuals in this film are broken down and rebuilt through the use of tense situations, which form the basis for most of the film. Comedy and drama seem to exist in tandem throughout Shiva Baby, a film that is less concerned with being a quirky comedy-of-errors, and more of a darkly comical elegy to the current generation, the young people who are now entering into adulthood without any direction, and their tendency to look for meaning in the most banal places. This is a film that uses a multigenerational story to show the clash in mentalities, and extracts some irreverent but stark comedy from the proceedings in the process. The manner in which the director finds the humour in some grim situations is masterful, and helps the film become far more than just a trivial exercise in silly comedy, with its humour being undercut by a caustic wit that harbours some deeper truths, which is disseminated gradually into the story around it.

Shiva Baby also contains some terrific performances, each one of them bringing to life these larger-than-life characters in a way that doesn’t sacrifice their comedic value, but also presents them authentically and with a poignancy that works splendidly in the context of the story. Rachel Sennott is on her way to stardom, leading this film with a fierce conviction that we don’t often see from younger actors. This appears to be the film that may lead to a major breakthrough, and her distinct charisma and precise ability to find the nuances in an otherwise bratty and unlikable character are worth noting, and help ground the film when it is threatening to become too quaint for its own good. She is contrasted by Polly Draper and Fred Melamed, two veteran actors who have worked in every conceivable medium, here playing her parents, and bringing necessary gravitas to the film. Melamed is as endearing as ever, his paternal warmth and slightly off-kilter charm making him the perfect representation of the happy-go-lucky Jewish father who wants to keep the peace, regardless of the cost. Draper is wonderful too, proving that while she may have found most of her career taking place behind the scenes, that she is a terrific actress in her own right, and can command the screen as the pernickety, nervous mother who wants the best for her children. The cast of Shiva Baby is tremendous, and whether it’s the substantial roles, or in the more minor performances (which often lend the film some of its funniest moments), it’s a true ensemble effort that finds each and every actor bringing something worthwhile to their roles.

Ultimately, Shiva Baby ends up being almost exactly what it claims to be, which means we can’t be disappointed if it doesn’t offer anything particularly revolutionary. It is a solid, entertaining dark comedy anchored by some terrific performances and a very strong script, which traverses some fascinating narrative territory in its endeavour to be a precise and enjoyable family saga that carefully balances humour and tension to create something compelling. Yet, it’s in maintaining its composure that Shiva Baby manages to be groundbreaking in its own way – Seligman is a distinct voice, and while there are some stretches of the film where there were clear efforts being made to fill in static space, it is mostly a film that knows what it is doing, and one has to wonder what is next for the director, since she’s already proven herself as someone who can pull together a wonderful little comedy from relatively paltry resources, so with more exposure and a higher budget, there are infinite possibilities for the director, who has already accomplished the herculean task of making her mark, and now has to focus on keeping that vision alive. However, considering the quality of her work here, and her clear willingness to take a few risks with the material, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem for the director.