A short film by Natasha Wilks and Nikhil Perera.

Director's Statement:

As someone who’s always been drawn to visual art and music, this short film is my attempt to explore the emotional weight behind the artistic process, especially when art becomes both a sanctuary and a prison.

Inspired by the melancholic beauty of neoclassical paintings, I’ve crafted a story about a sculptor unraveling through his work. This project is my final graduate film at SAE, and I truly believe in its emotional power and cinematic potential.

Every dollar raised will go toward making this vision a reality—helping us with locations, set design, equipment, and giving this story the production value it deserves.

Thank you for supporting student filmmakers and helping us tell stories!

— Nikhil Anjelo Perera, Writer/Director.

Story Logline:

Haunted by perfection and consumed by his art, Michael, a reclusive sculptor, isolates himself in his studio, prioritising creation over connection.

As his relationship with Anna crumbles under the weight of his obsession, a final confrontation leaves him spiralling deeper into despair.

With only his tools and unrelenting self-doubt for company, Michael retreats to his sanctuary. In anguish, the same chisels that shaped his masterpieces become instruments of his undoing.

“Sculpting the soul” is a heartfelt meditation on the thin line between creation and destruction.

We thank you for all your support!