Drip Drop is an unflinching family drama that peels back the layers of generational trauma through the eyes of Amy Lee, an 11-year-old girl forced to grow up far too soon. Set in the quiet chaos of a home shadowed by addiction and disability, this short film is a gut-wrenching exploration of parentified childhood, emotional survival, and the unspoken reality so many children endure behind closed doors.
Told with minimalist realism and haunting tenderness, Drip Drop follows Amy as she clings to bedtime routines, her stuffed frog, and any sense of stability in a world that keeps slipping from her grasp. Her mother, Kim, battles alcoholism and a physical disability, oscillating between genuine warmth and impulsive destruction. Amy’s older sister, Michelle, hardened by years of instability, drifts between protectiveness and emotional detachment. In this fragile ecosystem, love exists—but so does fear. And ultimately, Amy must confront the most devastating truth of all: she is alone.
This short film doesn’t scream; it whispers. It sits in the stillness between breakdowns, in the quiet rituals that children perform to feel safe. It’s an aching tribute to those who lived through emotionally neglectful or abusive households, especially those whose mothers never admitted their addictions.
Written and directed by a filmmaker with lived experience, Drip Drop is not just another trauma story—it’s a testimony. A deeply personal portrait of a childhood warped by substances and silence, created with the intent to uplift and validate those who’ve suffered without language for their pain.
The project partners with frontline organizations like Dan’s Legacy, Broadway Youth Resource Centre, and Covenant House to ensure authenticity and community connection, extending the film’s message beyond the screen. These partnerships are more than symbolic. Musicians from Covenant House’s recovery program helped shape the film’s sound design, embedding lived experience directly into the emotional texture of the film.
This collaborative approach reinforces Drip Drop’s mission: to center the voices of those who are too often ignored—especially children under 14 navigating addiction in their families. Aimed at young adults exploring mental health, empathy, and identity, and deeply resonant for adults still healing from childhood neglect, Drip Drop carves out a space for collective healing.
In a time of escalating youth mental health and addiction crises, this film arrives as both a mirror and a lifeline. Above all, Drip Drop is a reminder: your story matters. And no matter how quiet your suffering was, you were never invisible.
Website: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/drip-drop-short-film-to-provide-youth-resources/x/38569239#/
Want your film project featured on Local Films? Fill out this form!