Absurdity With Absolute Commitment

MOVIE REVIEWS
Eructation
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Genre: Documentary, Short
Year Released: 2026
Runtime: 6m
Director(s): Victoria Trow
Where to Watch: shown at the 2026 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & TV Festival

RAVING REVIEW: As a sidebar, I want to start this review by asking readers, if they haven’t seen the film, don’t read the review. I know that sounds wild, but I was lucky enough to go into this without knowing anything, and I think it truly enhanced the experience. ERUCTATION offers up a premise that sounds like a joke and then immediately dares you to laugh for the wrong reasons. On paper, a documentary about a woman attempting to break the world record for the loudest female burp feels tailor-made for satire, something disposable, maybe even condescending. What director Victoria Trow delivers instead is a tightly constructed, observed portrait of confidence, ambition, and self-acceptance that refuses to punch down on its subject or treat it as a joke.

The film centers on Kaylee Kotkins, a perinatal nurse with an unusually loud burp and the audacity to take that ability seriously. She isn’t chasing clout, internet virality, or ironic fame. She wants recognition. The current record stands at 107.3 decibels, and Kaylee has already surpassed that threshold in practice. ERUCTATION follows her preparation with a tone that’s playful but never dismissive, allowing the humor to arise naturally from the situation rather than from editorial nudging.

What makes the short work so well is how quickly it establishes Kaylee as someone worth rooting for. She’s relaxed, self-aware, and comfortable with how strange her goal sounds. The film doesn’t rush to justify her ambition or over-intellectualize it. It simply treats it with the same respect afforded to any other pursuit of excellence. That decision shifts the audience’s perspective almost immediately. What could’ve been an exercise in embarrassment becomes an unexpectedly affirming look at what it means to take pride in something others might find ridiculous.

Trow’s background in advertising is evident in the film’s brevity. At just six minutes, ERUCTATION wastes no time and doesn’t overstay its welcome. Every frame is purposeful. The observational humor lands, the emotional framing never feels forced, and the pacing is impeccable. The short understands exactly how much context it needs to give you and exactly when to move on. That precision is part of why the film feels complete. You leave, knowing as much of the story as you need to. There’s surely more to this fantastic journey, but you don’t feel like you’re missing out on an inside joke when the camera cuts to black.

There’s also something subversive about the way ERUCTATION engages with gender expectations. The idea of a “female world record” for burping carries an inherent judgment, one that the film never explicitly addresses but constantly undercuts through tone alone. Kaylee’s comfort with her control over the mechanics of her burp and her refusal to frame the act as shameful all contribute to a broader commentary on who gets to be loud, unapologetic, and publicly ambitious. The film lets that idea exist without declarations, trusting the audience to pick it up.

The film is straightforward and unfussy, which works in its favor. There’s no attempt to stylize the material beyond what’s necessary. The focus remains squarely on Kaylee, her preparation, and her mindset. Editing keeps the energy without turning the short into a gag. Even the moments that invite laughter feel grounded in character rather than spectacle. There’s something that really sticks with me, and it's the dedication to the science here. We all know why we burp (for the most part), but Kaylee takes that to the next level, learning the specifics to enhance this ability.

The short knows exactly what it is and doesn’t pretend to be more. It leaves you amused, oddly inspired, and genuinely fond of its subject, which is no small feat given how easily the premise could have tipped into mockery. That’s why I ask people to watch the short before reading the review; part of the pure joy and pleasure in this is the experience of the thoughtful way it'ss all handled.

ERUCTATION succeeds because it takes its subject seriously without taking itself too seriously. It’s funny, yes, but it’s also sincere, respectful, and confident in its point of view. In a festival landscape crowded with shorts trying to prove their importance, or sharing world-changing points of view, this one stands out by embracing something small, strange, and deeply human.

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