In the gripping 'Lineage,' Michelle West uncovers hidden family secrets.

      Recently, Michelle West approached her Aunt Carol to share some family tales. What her aunt revealed served as the foundation for West’s compelling new short film “Lineage,” which depicts a more troubling version of 1933 than is typically shown in films, highlighting the extent to which individuals, particularly women, conceal their secrets for survival.

      The short film, which recently premiered at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, builds an aura of mystery and strength as we grasp the characters' ability to compartmentalize: Secrets are stored away in a trunk, never intended to be discovered. West, who wrote and directed the piece, also stars as a mother striving to keep her family united during the harshest days of the Great Depression.

      Allusions to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (the book, not the film, which hadn't been released yet) enhance the sense of unsettling unease that envelops the short. “Lineage,” akin to L. Frank Baum’s novel, merges sadness with hope in a manner that lingers long after viewing. Ultimately, it reveals itself to be a vastly different film than one might expect at its start.

      We spoke with West about the silence imposed on filmmakers in the 1930s, her diverse experiences in various film roles, and the importance of accurately depicting history.

      Michelle West on Creating ‘Lineage’

      Writer-director-actor Michelle West collaborates with her lead, Cailin Peluso, on “Lineage.” Hazel Mae Pictures

      MovieMaker: Could you elaborate on the events that inspired this film?

      Michelle West: About six years ago, during a family reunion, I asked my Aunt Carol to share family stories with me while others went out sightseeing. My family is scattered and somewhat disjointed, so I hadn’t learned much about my ancestral background. She agreed, and while she knitted, she recounted how my grandparents met, their professions, and the difficult home environments that drove them to marry young and face the world together.

      Aunt Carol revealed a story my grandmother only disclosed near her death — that as a child, she discovered a fetus in a trunk in the living room. Rumors portrayed my grandmother’s mother as superstitious and accused her of using black magic to conceive a boy… You know, the typical patriarchal narrative: Women are irrational, and only boys hold value.

      However, as Aunt Carol elaborated on the family’s history of abortions, miscarriages, alcoholism, poverty, gang associations, gambling, and infidelity, I began to connect the dots. The fetus in the trunk was not about seeking blessings, but rather about hiding painful secrets. Secrets too difficult to release. Secrets that the women in my family have been compelled to carry in silence for generations. Thus, I made the decision to end that cycle.

      Ultimately, “Lineage” is a compilation of real events intertwined into a fictional narrative to honor the stories of overlooked women, not just in my family, but in many families.

      MovieMaker: Many films from the Hays Code era were censored, leading to a sanitized view of the past, especially the 1930s. Do you believe you portrayed the truth about life during that time more honestly than films from that era could?

      Michelle West: The individuals in power during the 1930s, who censored and tailored media to align with Christian ideals following industry consolidation (does that sound familiar?), not only sanitized the content but also effectively ended women’s filmmaking for decades. Pioneers like Alice Guy Blaché, Lois Weber, and Mae West were successful filmmakers until a male studio executive deemed them inappropriate and terminated their careers.

      This resulted in missing countless vital narratives by and about women.

      Regrettably, this issue is not limited to the Hays Code era. Today, only 8% of feature films are directed by women. The 2022 documentary "Brainwashed: Sex, Camera, Power" by Nina Menkes thoroughly illustrates how even contemporary films portray women and their experiences in ways that contribute to pay discrepancies and misogyny in our culture today.

      Michelle West on the set of “Lineage.” Hazel Mae Pictures

      There is still significant work to be done to ensure that stories from all races, genders, and orientations are represented now, regardless of the era they reflect. I don’t want to wait another 90 years for today's stories to be told accurately.

      MovieMaker: Many aspects of this film resonate with issues present in 2026 — the male gambling crisis, predatory actions, restrictions on bodily autonomy. Was it your intention for this to be an allegory for today? To reclaim a story from the 1930s? Or to create a timeless piece?

      Michelle West: Following the last question, it’s astonishing to consider how far we’ve advanced over the past century in terms of equality, technology, and awareness, all under the guise of enhancing life and happiness. Yet, in numerous ways, we continue to evade our challenges, resulting in