short film / completed 2021
written / directed by: Jana N.
cinematography: Jon Hruby
In a near-future where people can be returned, upgraded, or exchanged, a prim elderly woman
boards a train to replace her husband, only to find she's not the only one with a severed head in a zip-lock.
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes explores why people so often seek fast fixes instead of real solutions.
Inspired by Roald Dahl’s short story Lamb to the Slaughter, the film plays with audience perspective—what we know,
when we know it, and how it shapes meaning. Blending elements of film noir and mystery thriller,
the story gradually shifts into sci-fi territory, challenging expectations and reframing genre conventions.
Indifferent facial expressions, paired with a tightly controlled voice-over, are used to examine the mechanics
of the Kuleshov Effect—how context and editing alter emotional perception.
BTS foto by: Tereza Havlinkova