The Suburban Trilogy

"The Suburban Trilogy" is a three-part film project by Abigail Child, exploring themes of girlhood and the immigrant dream within the context of post World War II North American suburbs and pre-war Europe. The collection critically examines gender roles, property, and prevailing national myths through intimate portrayals of familial relationships. A key element of the trilogy is its focus on close physical proximity between women, from embraces to shared spaces, which serves to foreground the construction of cinematic meaning. Spanning from 2004 to 2011, the trilogy comprises three films with a total runtime of 66 minutes and a reported budget of zero with no revenue generated. Films within the collection, such as "Cake + Steak" (2004) and "Surf + Turf" (2011), utilize the familial arena to investigate the elusive nature of memory and desire, often presenting a heightened, almost hysteric, depiction of social interactions. The films collectively offer a glimpse into the complexities of family dynamics and personal identity within a specific historical and geographical setting. Child's project emphasizes the interplay between individual experience and broader societal forces, using the suburban landscape as a backdrop for exploring these interwoven themes. The trilogy’s development occurred over a seven-year period, presenting a focused exploration of its central concerns across three distinct installments.