The film , released in 1996 , is a lush, 40-minute romantic drama set in 19th-century Victorian England. Directed by Nicole Conn , known for her work in lesbian cinema like Claire of the Moon , this short film explores the burgeoning passion between two women in a remote seaside village. Plot and Atmosphere
The two women form an immediate and intense connection that transcends simple friendship. Their relationship evolves through shared intellectual and artistic pursuits, including horseback riding on the beach, playing chess, and discussing their respective crafts. As they grow closer, they become each other's muses—Byron's poetry inspires Cynara's sculpting, while Cynara becomes the subject of Byron's writing.
Reviewers on platforms like Letterboxd point out that the film features a uniquely extensive 7-minute credit sequence. This sequence includes behind-the-scenes interviews with its almost entirely female cast and crew, highlighting the pride and collaborative spirit of mid-90s queer indie filmmaking.
Finally, the numeric suffix suggests a first attempt, a draft. Perhaps somewhere, in “may syma 2” or “may syma 3,” lies a completed version. But the imperfect, the incomplete, the barely preserved—that is the true subject of this essay. As Dowson wrote: “I have been faithful to thee, Cynara! in my fashion.” And we remain faithful to this mislabeled ghost of 1996, hunting it fragment by fragment. fylm Cynara Poetry in Motion 1996 mtrjm - may syma 1
: The film heavily emphasizes the link between creative passion and romantic love, with the characters' art serving as a primary medium for their intimacy.
is a 1996 short romantic drama directed by Nicole Conn , known for her work in lesbian cinema like Claire of the Moon .
The final segment, “may syma 1” — the filmmaker appears as a reflection in a puddle, whispering “May symmetry one” — a nod to kaleidoscopic structure: the film loops four times, each with slightly altered frames. The film , released in 1996 , is
This raw, tactile quality is precisely why archivists hunt for this piece. It is not a polished literary adaptation but a palimpsest of cross-cultural translation—Victorian English rendered through 1990s analog video, then keyword-tagged by a non-native speaker who typed “fylm” instead of “film.”
Who might not
What we know: the piece was allegedly pressed in a run of 24 CD-Rs, distributed in hand-stamped paper sleeves at a single night in Lisbon (the now-mythical Clube da Estrela ) in October 1996. The master DAT was reportedly lost in a flood in 1999. The artist—if a single person existed behind the name—never released another public work. each with slightly altered frames.
: The title and themes are influenced by the poetry of Ernest Dowson (specifically "Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae sub Regno Cynarae") and Lord Byron. Anachronisms
: While some critics found the narrative "sleepy," others praised it for its undeniable chemistry and bold portrayal of a lesbian affair during a time of extreme social repression.
: Both women experience vivid fantasies about each other—Cynara’s in black and white and Byron’s in color—before eventually acting on their feelings. Key Details