Sofia (365 days / 52 weeks) 01    00:15:58

Sofia | Attachment (secure/insecure), Awareness of Camera, Communication, Curiosity, Drive, Presence/absence, Resilience, Wondering

It is Sofia’s birthday. Luca is ill and at home. Sofia has been playing amongst a collection of toys and Luca and Nomsa have left the room to go downstairs. Sofia is very aware of the filmmaker’s presence. She crawls down the passage, looking back to see if the filmmaker is still there. She explores different rooms and objects, some with potential danger as they hang on a wall or sit within a child-safe (but not entirely secure) cupboard. At times the camera follows right behind Sofia. Other times the filmmaker stays back watching what happens. Sofia’s ability to crawl between places is largely unhindered, aside from a closed childproof gate at the top of the stairway. Sofia stretches through the bars, trying to get through – but cannot.

Sofia is vocalising and when Nomsa comes upstairs Sofia makes a sound that Nomsa repeats as “Gogo” meaning granny, the term the siblings use in referring respectfully and lovingly to Nomsa.

Nomsa goes downstairs leaving Fia to explore the bathroom after which Sofia crawls back down the passage towards mom’s room on one side and the childproof gate to downstairs on the other. The filmmaker standups from filming on the floor to follow her. On reaching the end of the passage the filmmaker realizes that the gate is open and Sofia is at the top of the stairs heading down. The filmmaker intervenes to stop Sofia, closes the gate and then apologises to her for both giving her a fright and for preventing her from going down. Sofia stares up at the camera then turns and crawls away into mom’s room where she turns and sits looking back. Her fingers explore the small heart-shaped patterns on her tights. Nomsa’s voice enters the space. Sofia’s expression changes and she starts to crawl back towards the stairs where Nomsa is coming from. On seeing Nomsa Sofia smiles broadly while kneeling upright before quickly moving into a crawling position and moving towards Nomsa.

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