Balance, Not Symmetry

Balance, Not Symmetry

Year: 2019

Runtime: 97 mins

Language: English

Director: Jamie Adams

Drama

A young American student studying at the Glasgow School of Art experiences a profound loss with the sudden death of her father. Grappling with grief, she begins to question her privileged life and the relationships within her close-knit circle, leading her on a journey of self-discovery and reevaluation.

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Timeline & Setting – Balance, Not Symmetry (2019)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Balance, Not Symmetry (2019). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Glasgow, London, New York

The story unfolds primarily in Glasgow's art-school milieu, where Caitlin studies at the Glasgow School of Art and develops her practice amid a shifting creative community. It also follows Caitlin's impending move to London for a project with a renowned artist, signaling a leap from student work to professional collaboration. The film nods to Caitlin's New York upbringing as a backdrop to her evolving identity, highlighting a cross-Atlantic trajectory in contemporary art life.

🎨 Art 🏙️ City 🗺️ Journey

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:20

Main Characters – Balance, Not Symmetry (2019)

Meet the key characters of Balance, Not Symmetry (2019), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Caitlin Walker (Laura Harrier)

Caitlin is a thoughtful third-year painting student at the Glasgow School of Art who channels grief into her art. She pushes for art to be more than decoration and grows through collaboration, especially with her best friend Hannah. Her personal journey is entwined with a desire to redefine her artistic voice and career path.

🎨 Artist 💔 Grief 🧠 Thinker

Hannah (Bria Vinaite)

Hannah is Caitlin's upbeat best friend who tries to lift her spirits after Leonard's death and in the face of artistic doubt. She becomes an artistic partner while navigating her own social life, offering both support and vulnerability. Her presence keeps Caitlin grounded as they pursue shared goals.

🎭 Friend 💬 Support 🧪 Catalyst

Mary Walker (Kate Dickie)

Mary is Caitlin's mother and an artist in her own right, struggling to resume work after her husband's death. She represents resilience and the generational thread of creativity, offering moments of mentorship and emotional grounding for Caitlin.

🎨 Artist 💔 Grief 👩‍👧 Parent

Rory (Scott Miller)

Rory is the guy Caitlin meets at a museum date following the party incident. He embodies the casual, art-loving social scene that surrounds the main characters, with a looseness that clashes with Caitlin's focus at times.

🎯 Interest 🥂 Social 🧪 Chemistry

Stacey (Lily Newmark)

Stacey is a fellow student who appears in Caitlin and Hannah's circle, providing dynamic interplay within the art class and social outings. Her presence highlights the competitive yet peer-based nature of the Glasgow art world at the time.

🤝 Classmate 🧷 Peer 🕊️ Tension

Fiona Miller (Tamsin Egerton)

Fiona is Caitlin's lecturer who advocates for a feminist rethinking of art history and champions student voices. She guides Caitlin's critical thinking about what art should be and how it should function in society.

🎓 Mentor 🗣️ Educator 🧭 Critic

Catherine Hendricks (Shauna MacDonald)

Catherine is a Turner Prize-winning Scottish artist whose troubled life intersects with her celebrated work. She invites Caitlin to join a London project as her assistant, signaling a bridge from student work to large-scale practice and mentorship.

🏆 Mentor 🧭 Artist 🌆 London

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:20

Major Themes – Balance, Not Symmetry (2019)

Explore the central themes of Balance, Not Symmetry (2019), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎨 Feminism in Art

Fiona's critique that women have been written out of art history frames the characters' efforts to rewrite the canon. The narrative foregrounds female perspectives and collaborative creation over solitary, decorative expression. Caitlin and her peers explore how art can reflect lived experience rather than stay confined to galleries. Catherine Hendricks' mentorship later reinforces how feminist practice evolves through shared, public projects.

💔 Grief and Healing

Caitlin's father's funeral sets the emotional tone, with painting serving as a way to process loss. Her mother Mary's own grief mirrors and intersects with Caitlin's, complicating but enriching their bond. The characters channel sorrow into creative work, showing how art can transform personal pain into something observable. The film tracks the slow, imperfect path from mourning to a hopeful future.

🤝 Friendship and Relationships

Hannah's steadfast friendship anchors Caitlin as she navigates grief and artistic doubt. Romantic and social entanglements, like Caitlin's date with Rory and the dynamic with Stacey, test loyalties and reveal insecurities. The pair's arguments and reconciliations underscore the importance of communication in sustaining creative collaboration. Together they move from conflict to renewed partnership in their art.

🧭 Creative Growth

Caitlin wrestles with a sprawling canvas and a struggle to finish her end-of-year presentation, embodying the volatile process of creation. The introduction of Catherine Hendricks and the London project marks a turning point from student work to professional opportunity. The film emphasizes that meaning in art shifts over time, especially when collaboration with others—like Hannah—expands a piece's significance. The journey culminates in Caitlin embracing a future beyond the Glasgow studio.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:20

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Balance, Not Symmetry Summary

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Balance, Not Symmetry Summary

Balance, Not Symmetry Timeline

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Balance, Not Symmetry Timeline

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Balance, Not Symmetry Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Balance, Not Symmetry

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