One of the things that is instantly striking about Aurora Brachman and LaTajh Simmons-Weaver’s wonderful documentary short Hold Me Close is its framing. When the audience is introduced to Corinne and Tiana, a Black queer couple, it is through the confines of a doorway. Everything outside the door is pitch black, which focuses the viewer’s eyes to the pair as they lovingly gazing into the other’s eyes.

Establishing the sense of intimacy that permeates the film, Brachman and Simmons-Weaver’s film brings audiences into the couple’s romance by observing their daily routines at home. Ranging from the mundane acts of brushing their teeth to tender embrace in bed as their cat looks on, the filmmakers present Corinne and Tiana’s home as their own oasis of love. A safe space that the judgmental eyes of society cannot penetrate.

Primarily showing the couple within the confines of their home, an outdoor staircase is as far as the audience ever sees them venturing, Hold Me Close notes that life beyond their walls consume much of their thoughts. Through voiceovers, one gains insight into the various conversations the women have about the outside world. While the images on screen highlight the normalcy of their existence, it is clear the women are constantly fighting to keep their sense of self.

Whether it is one of their parents questioning what the logistics would be if the couple decides to have children, or the passive aggressive ways society tries to place queer women in boxes, Corinne and Tiana are constantly burdened with the expectations of others. Determined to live life on their own terms, they cannot deny that the pressure to conform to other people’s perceptions can be exhausting.

Hold Me Close does a wonderful job of juxtaposing the couple’s joys and struggles through the precious moments of daily life. In one effective moment the audience observes one of the women putting freshly cut flowers in a vase where a painting of a Nubian queen hangs. Stepping back to check if the flowers are placed properly, the woman’s head obscures the artwork and essentially replaces the woman in the frame. It is one of the many effective shots that linger in the mind and amplifies the inner strength of the couple.

The world may attempt to paint queer Black women with a restrictive brush, but Hold Me Close reminds audiences that individuals like Corinne and Tiana will ultimately frame their lives by their own terms.

Hold Me Close screened at Sundance 2025 as part of the Documentary Short Film programme.