Image credit: NeoSiam
Upper Hand
A social commentary on an indiscriminate affliction in contemporary society;
this story follows the relationship between Veronika and Leon, two high-functioning professionals and the insidious and destabilising effects of Coercive Control.
Inspired by real events.
Mini series: 6 x 60minute episodes
Synopsis
A chance meeting in war-torn Africa sees Veronika thrown into an intense working environment with an opportunistic narcissist.
A strong sense of justice leaves Veronika vulnerable to a charismatic Leon, who identifies her desire for connection and family and grooms her from their first meeting. Gaslighting her at every opportunity, Leon takes advantage of Veronika’s focus on work which ultimately finds her corralled in a life that is isolating, and dependent on him.
Veronika’s intuition becomes clouded, and her increasingly fragile self-determination crumbles.
When they conceive a child, it provides an emotionally detached Leon with opportunities to exert further control.
Voice over from Part One
It doesn’t matter what kind of abuse, physical, psychological, financial or emotional. Every woman feels the same.
Destabilised.
They’re caught in a wave, relentlessly tumbled until they don’t know which way is up. And when things finally settle, they are so relieved they survived and yet so exhausted, that they forget themselves, lose connection with their intuition, and question their perspective.And that’s why they stay.