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★★★★
Directed by: Stephen Bell
Written by: Angela Bell
Starring: Angela Bell, Madeline Leon
A woman's life is put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Natalie (Bell) works as a stage actress, living an active, busy lifestyle. Then, coronavirus arrived and with it also came the lockdown. Her work at the theater is cancelled, as she is forced to self-isolate and wait for things to get better. She becomes lonely and sad. One day, she bumps into her friend Juliet (Leon), who, in spite of the outbreak, is busy working, is doing well at her job and has even found a new home to move in with her partner. Juliet shows support and admiration towards Natalie, giving her hope for the future.
COVID-19 affected the lives of countless of people around the world by preventing them from moving on with their lives and this short drama focuses on the effects it has on a performing artist, whose profession is vulnerable to the lockdown, due to the fact that it is non-essential. The audience observes her as her life is turned upside-down, due to inactivity and isolation and therefore discovers what countless of individuals like her are going through around the globe. However, the film also points out that lockdown will not last forever and shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The title refers to the number of days lockdown lasted and the amount of time it took for life to restart for Natalie. Throughout the film, texts announce how many days have passed since the lockdown began. Sadly, those four hundred days seem to have been taken out of her life.
Bell delivers an emotional performance as a passionate actress, who is pulled away from her beloved profession. She effectively reveals the negative emotions her character goes through during lockdown. Leon is convincing as her optimistic and supportive friend.
The music contains a melancholic piano piece, which captures the downbeat mood of the protagonist.
The film also reveals how the world has changed because of the pandemic, with face masks, signs describing social distancing rules and news reports.
This achievement is a gloomy look into how the lockdown affects people's lives. It shows the pain of not experiencing life, but also explains that better times lie ahead.
Trailer for 400 Days Later:
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