The Death of Anne Brontë

The Death of Anne Brontë is a short film that describes... well the death of Anne Brontë. No Scarborough, no Ellen Nussey and a well-meaned but prudish and eventually manipulative Charlotte:

The Death of Anne Brontë (2022)

Directed and Written by Kathleen Barth

With Jen Ayer Drake, Bruce A. Rauscher and Zoë Bowen Smith

Music by  Marcin Mazurek

Cinematography by  Vinh T. Le

Film Editing by  Kayla Fyfe

Anne Brontë fights through her ravaging tuberculosis to write her third novel. Anne's older sister, Charlotte seizes Anne's manuscript and orders her to rest. Eleven months earlier, Anne confronts Charlotte over a letter she wrote detailing her distaste for Anne's recently published novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Charlotte stands by her criticism while Anne defends her novel's merits. Back to the present. Anne defies Charlotte by working on her novel. When a frightening cough erupts within Anne, Charlotte flees to her side. Close to death, Anne pleads with Charlotte to let her finish her novel. Charlotte reluctantly agrees. Anne's publisher, Mr. Newby visits Charlotte shortly after Anne's death. He requests Charlotte's permission to reprint The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and asks about Anne's third novel. Charlotte rejects Mr. Newby's request and denies the existence of Anne's third novel. That night, Charlotte burns the manuscript of Anne's unpublished third novel.

Accolades:  Semi-finalist at New York International Women Festival and London Indie Short Festival in November 2022. Award-winning at the Austin International Film Festival in October 2022. Official selection at Prince George's Film Festival in September 2022.