Ep. 21 - Kenneth Nguyen & Jaden Kilkenny, "Breathe"

What if grief didn’t scream—but whispered?
In "Breathe," co-directors Kenneth Nguyen and Jaden Kilkenny dismantle cinematic clichés of grief, choosing stillness over spectacle, silence over sobs. In this intimate RFN Podcast episode, the duo discusses the emotional weight behind their quietly devastating student film premiering at the RFN Indie Fest. From confined spaces and suffocating closeups to soundscapes built on breath and heartbreak, "Breathe" paints a portrait of loss that unfolds not in eruptions, but in subtle fractures. They dive into the challenges of indie filmmaking, co-directing while acting, and how real-life chaos shaped the film’s urgency. With Moonlight and Normal People as stylistic touchstones, they reveal how color, sound, and silence became characters in their own right. As they prepare to share their story with a live audience for the first time, both filmmakers reflect on what it means to be seen, and where they’re headed next.