Press
Interviews
Personally speaking only, I find it difficult to watch movies or TV shows that are centered around cancer because stories like this hit a little too close to home. Hence, I was incredibly apprehensive about getting into this. That said, the amazing performances of the cast, the dark sense of humor, the production design, and the message about being vocal about fighting cancer so that everyone finds the courage to do the same really won me over. I had the opportunity to sit down for a virtual chat with the Lay Lefty Down’s director, Traven Rice and I talked to her about how her own fight with cancer inspired the story, the taboos surrounding breast cancer, the breast-themed props, and more.
fugitives.com
In this darkly comedic yet deeply tender short, Traven Rice transforms her lived experience with breast cancer into something disarming: a memorial for a left breast that becomes a confrontation with fear, silence, and the cultural awkwardness surrounding illness. What emerges is not just satire, but solidarity. In this conversation, Traven Rice speaks candidly about vulnerability, community, and why laughter when offered with an open heart, can be one of the most radical forms of healing.
sceneforscene.com
“What gives the short its edge is how it approaches its subject. It doesn’t try to make the experience more digestible. It doesn’t frame it as inspirational or tragic in a conventional way. It stays in the middle, where things are messy and unresolved. That choice aligns with the film’s perspective, which comes from lived experience and a clear awareness of how isolating these conversations can become.”
Reviews
“In the early scenes, Traven Rice displays an excessively delightful wry wit. The director finds creative ways to take a sensitive and taboo subject, and to turn it into a joke. These make Lay Lefty Down a memorable treat. While we crash into what feels like an absurdly humorous stunt, under Rice’s direction, it remains grounded by the way it deals with real emotions.”
“Overall, Lay Lefty Down is a funny take on a sad situation that imbues the story with the right balance of emotions, humor, and human nature. The film is well-written and well-directed with a strong central performance.”
“A perfect blend of humor and heart, Lay Lefty Down is a great achievement by all involved. The film makes its World Premiere at the 2026 Oxford Film Festival.”
“In turning tragedy into something quietly reflective — and at times, unexpectedly funny — Lay Lefty Down finds a thoughtful middle ground. It may deal with uncomfortable ideas, but in doing so, it opens the door for conversations that are often left unspoken.”
“It’s funny, it’s strange, it’s heartfelt — and it lands with the reminder that survival isn’t a solo act. Sometimes you have to let people in, even when they show up with boobie décor.”
“Dark comedy with purpose is rare. Dark comedy that heals? Even rarer. Lay Lefty Down proves you can talk about the hardest things in the room — and sometimes, you should start by raising a glass to them”
“By the time the last bit of confetti falls, Lay Lefty Down turns a wildly odd setup into something that lands on a painfully human level without losing its bite.”
Traven Rice is an American journalist and filmmaker. She is the co-founder of Lo-Down Productions in New York, and the hostess of The Lo-Down Culture Cast. Her debut short film Lay Lefty Down, about a cancer survivor attending the memorial service of her “deceased” boob, premiered at the Oxford Film Festival (an exclusive review of this sweet and profound little comedy is to follow in the next few days).