Wake is a project that explores vital aspects of the human condition by inviting the audience to feel a range of emotions, while also gently blurring the bounds of reality. Through the film, I endeavoured to lend an honest voice to the often taboo subjects of mental health and grief. The partnership between Liam, Michael and myself, transformed the project from a gentle exploration into an unconstrained and evocative journey. For me, Wake was also an odyssey of the self, of empathy, sincerity, vulnerability, sorrow, and the complexity of human emotion. As I studied the protagonist, I developed a more profound understanding of my own grief. The emotional connectedness of the cast and crew, brought this film to life. I am especially grateful for their absolute dedication and tireless pursuit of creating a poignant and rousing portrait of mental health.

Martin Klapperbein is an energetic voice in the uninhibited world of avant-garde filmmaking. The director, editor, and VFX artist’s first playground is comedy, but he has recently been catapulted into contemplative cinema, with his first short film Wake. Klapperbein attributes his confidently inventive work to the reckless abandon of skate videos he made growing up. His recognizable humour, comforting sincerity, and characteristic cameos, invite the audience to feel a range of emotions, while gently blurring the bounds of reality. Seduced by the opportunities of technology, Klapperbein employs CG, compositing and animation to augment the narrative of his projects. Martin’s unique library of influences, contribute to his dichotomous body of work which is unconstrained and evocative, conscious but also imaginative.