Slamdance Film Festival 2025 – No matter our status, our class, our race, or various other circumstances, one thing is for certain. We’re all going to die. Writer/director Eli-Bella Wood’s short Death Drive confronts that fear head-on. Without using any dialogue, Wood crafted a film that’s contemplative and thought-provoking.

The short stars Wood as a character simply called “The Woman.” In the opening seconds, she gets into a car and shoves a gun into the glove compartment. It’s unclear where she’s going or what she may be escaping. There’s little plot here, but the images fill in some of the clues. On the one hand, Wood’s character is in motion throughout this short, often with her foot to the pedal and the tires screeching. However, despite that, this is quite a meditative short.

In the rearview mirror, the unnamed woman constantly sees faces that pass on screen, many of them elderly. This may signify her own fear of death and aging. Yet, even if she’s literally in motion, she can’t escape it. At one point, she encounters a cowboy on a                                    horse. It’s unclear if this is meant to personify death itself, but suddenly, everything slows down upon his appearance. It’s a surreal, alluring sort of sequence.

Though dialogue may be absent, there’s a lot going on here with the sound design and shots. The revving of the engine and the disorienting dash cam POV shots perpetuate the feeling that the lead wants to escape. Meanwhile, Wood gives several expressive and contemplative looks that allow the viewer to ponder and question what’s going on in her character’s mind.

Death Drive is a strange, reflective, and enticing short. Wood’s images are likely to evoke an emotional response from the viewer, while also raising questions about how the film depicts the fear of death. Sometimes, it’s best to just go along for the ride.