At its core, Joy is a story about two women navigating and trying to make sense of their traumatic experiences with the men in their lives. We’re seeing them collide coming from opposite ends of a shared trauma. I aimed to explore the ways in which these two women are reflections of each other.

Rachel has just ended her relationship and set out on the road to distance herself from her emotionally abusive boyfriend. Cutting these ties leaves her floating through through the world— with no particular direction other than away.

This brings her to THE WOMAN. This strange woman, reeking of menthols and mountain dew, is on the other end of a similar journey. She trying to get home to see her father one last time before he dies. It’s not clear what her history is with her father, but it’s clear it lead her here begging for a ride at a gas station on the side of an interstate.