Ten years ago Michael Shaw became one of the most hated people in the country, for being blamed for a mother killing herself and her daughter – a role that went unpunished by the justice system.

Today he’s on the brink of escaping the legacy of this notoriety; he’s eventually found work, a relationship and can almost afford his own flat, far away from where it will all never really be forgotten.

But these delicate foundations are about to be dismantled as the tragedy’s tenth anniversary brings the story back to both print and tv news, re-igniting the public’s hatred and virtually guaranteeing his inevitable outing to the new life.

Forcing him on the futile mission to suppress all the information he can – pleading with the journalist writing the stories and the leader of the local community remembrance efforts – piling on more psychological pressure to his already haunted and fractured mind.

Without the emotional experience to even engage in the self introspection a trauma like this demands, the chances of a happy ending for Michael isn’t looking good.

The film explores the punishment a crime deserves when the law deems it undeserving of punishment in the first place. When is it ok to forgive or forget and whether there needs to be a certain level of responsibility acknowledged to allow those involved to move on.

Watch This Is Vanity on Film Shortage