The Deafening Silence of a Very Bright Light

Photographer Barnard Jacobs is dying. What seems as bad to him is that Ashley, the woman he's in love with, can't bring herself to admit her own feelings for him. She's too wrapped up in her own cocaine addiction and a desire to find a wealthy husband. During a typical New York City evening, shallow fashionista Madeleine begs Barnard to call Ashley for drugs. When Ashley's wealthy friend Boccaccio comes over, Ashley admits that she has a new boyfriend and Boccaccio and Madeleine pair off. Barnard eventually retires to his own apartment, where Ashley, seeking peace and solitude, joins him in a chastely romantic expression of affection. In flashback, Barnard recalls how his best friend, a financier named Pickering, hired him to take a series of photos of women's eyes. Despite Ashley turning up late to her audition and being hungover, the two forged a deep personal connection. Back in the present, Boccaccio and Madeleine sink into drug induced insanity. Unable to make any constructive decisions, the two become more removed from the world. As Barnard learns that death is near, he reaches out to Ashley one last time in a final attempt to save both of them.