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★★★★
Directed by: Daniel Thomas Freeman
Written by: Daniel Thomas Freeman
Starring: Sally Mortemore, Emma Spearing, Lucy Alfred, David Broughton-Davies
Words cannot describe how devastating the loss of a loved one is and the magnitude of the grief it creates.
The Silence After Life is an emotional story that deals with themes of loss, grief, love, friendship, death and religion.
Katherine (Mortemore) has just lost a loved one and has fallen into deep depression. She seizes to speak and begins having visions about a woman in the forest and David (Martin), the person she lost. Unable to cope with her emotions, she decides to go and live in nature. Then she meets and befriends Claire (Spearing), a friendly, compassionate woman, who has also experienced a recent loss.
This is a drama that is very heavy on emotions and the dialogue is rather limited. The main focus is Katherine, her emotional state and how she deals with the tragedy that took place. Mortemore does a brilliant job in portraying a woman who is torn apart and wants to find the strength to carry on. Spearing is equally captivating as a kind, warmhearted person, who wants to help Katherine.
Freeman also created the music for this feature and he did an outstanding job! The score is dramatic, mesmerizing and tender and it accompanies the images and narrative perfectly! Regarding the sound, there is one scene that deserves special mention and that is the first one that takes place inside a crowded church, during a service. As the event is taking place, the sound of vocals sinks into the background, while the sound of the organs is turned up, taking over. This technique, along with the wonderful directing, make this scene seem otherworldly!
The directing is also great, with many beautiful establishing shots, and shots of nature. The editing is also good, making effective use of fast cutting techniques.
This poignant drama is a must-see! It is undoubtedly a project that had a great deal of passion and hard work put into it. The performances are magnificent, the directing marvelous and the main message appears to be how much people need each other.
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