Grocery Store People is an animated short film about strangers, loneliness, and accidental intimacy. During the periods of my life when I’ve felt quite isolated, going to the grocery store has always helped me feel less alone. I felt a sense of companionship by watching the other shoppers and noticing small glimpses into their lives. These moments made me feel like I was part of a community and have gratitude for the people around me.

In my research for this project, I discovered that interactions between strangers are decreasing over time. This loss of connection then contributes to an overall sense of loneliness in our society. According to Dr. Vivek Murthy, loneliness correlates heavily with addiction, violence, anxiety, depression, and much more. Luckily, increasing our time spent with people, even strangers, can improve our sense of belonging, while also helping our mental and physical health.

I encourage you to enter my grocery store and watch three different strangers shop. While observing them, consider the importance of strangers in your life. I hope you leave realizing that our interactions with each other, even strangers, are vital to our mutual resiliency.