Nina Forever 2016

We begin with a scene where a man lies sprawled on the road, appearing lifeless. His motorcycle, meanwhile, has crashed nearby, emitting smoke and intermittent beeps. Just when it seems he has succumbed, he unexpectedly stirs.

The scene shifts to a supermarket parking area where Holly (played by Abigail Hardingham) discusses the incident with her colleagues, including Rob (portrayed by Cian Barry), who is another employee. It turns out that Rob intentionally caused his accident as a desperate suicide attempt, grappling with the grief of losing his girlfriend, Nina (played by Fiona O’Shaughnessy). Holly finds this tragic act oddly endearing, exclaiming, “I’d love it if my boyfriend tried to kill himself because I died.” Her coworkers, however, convey skepticism, suggesting she might be more fascinated by Rob’s vulnerabilities than genuinely interested in him, implying that she’s just waiting to see if he finally succeeds in his darkness.

Later that night, Holly sits in the car with her boyfriend, David, who breaks up with her. David awkwardly suggests they could still be friends, yet quickly labels Holly as vanilla due to her unassuming nature. Offended, she tells him to leave.

The next day at work, Holly observes Rob as he struggles with a jar, injuring himself in the process. Curious about his wound, she approaches him in the stockroom while he’s lost in music. Their connection deepens as they share earbuds, and Holly playfully tears a pomegranate in half for them to share.

As night falls, an unexpected text lights up Holly’s phone. It’s from Rob, expressing regret over not having kissed her. This sparks new hope for Holly, leading to a date where tentative romantic moments develop. Rob questions why she’s so interested in him when everyone else views him as a troubled individual. The date takes a strange turn when Rob walks into the street near traffic, making Holly fear he might attempt to hurt himself. In reality, he was simply taking a shortcut to the theater, and Holly grabs his hand in relief.

However, as their relationship progresses, Rob’s emotional baggage weighs heavily on him. During a private moment, they share intimacy, but an unexpected and horrific turn unfolds: Nina’s bloody spirit manifests from the bed, drenched in the remnants of her fatal accident. The ghostly Nina interrupts their connection, expressing territorial jealousy towards Holly, and creating a surreal confrontation between the living and the departed.

In the aftermath of this traumatic event, Holly grapples with the reality of her burgeoning feelings for Rob, who remains haunted by Nina’s enduring presence. Rob’s attempts to navigate his grief and start anew with Holly become increasingly complex. Each time they grow closer, Nina’s spirit rears her head, reminding them that their relationship will forever be intertwined with the tragedy of Rob’s past.

As tensions rise, Holly tries to process the chaos, leading to shifts in their dynamic during awkward encounters with Nina’s parents—who still cling to Rob as a connection to their deceased daughter. Holly handles the situation with growing frustration, feeling neglected and overshadowed by Nina’s lingering influence.

Through all of this, Rob struggles with moving on from Nina while Holly seeks to establish her identity in this chaotic mix of affection and spectral interference. They share pleasurable moments interspersed with the haunting specter of Nina, who reminds Holly that she can never fully take her place in Rob’s life. Amidst the emotional turbulence, Holly realizes that her feelings for Rob may have stemmed from a need to save him rather than authentic affection.

The story culminates in Holly’s painful decision to leave Rob, as she recognizes that recovering from grief and trauma isn’t simply about moving on but involves confronting the scars that remain. While Rob begins to finally embrace a future, Holly is left to grapple with the haunting legacy of the past alone, doomed to be reminded of Nina every time she seeks intimacy.

It’s a tale of love, loss, and the complexities of relationships intertwined with the unshakable weight of grief—where the living must confront the echoes of the dead.