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Written & Directed by Nicholas Connor Starring Nicholas Sheard, Katie Quinn, Geraldine Connor Short Film Review by Rachel Pullen
We all die, that is a fact of life, but how we deal with death is different from person to person. They say grief manifests itself in different stages and one of them is denial.
Think of Me tackles this subject head on, we follow Ben (Nicholas Sheard), a young boy who has lost his older sister (Katie Quinn) and is deeply in denial about her death.
He spends his days alone in the forest with his imagination which manifests as his sister, continuing on their sibling traditions, afraid to let go as he does not want to never see her again.
Ben’s mother (Geraldine Connor) is on the opposite end of the grief spectrum, and is in the phase of depression, crying and saddened by her loss yet also concerned for her son as he cannot come to grips with what has happened.
This short film won the ‘’Into film of the month’’ as well as being nominated for the best student film at Selby International film festival and the independent direction competition at Leeds young film festival, and these awards and nominations are clearly deserved.
Think of Me is beautifully shot, capturing the isolation of the forest where young Ben spends most of his time; we can feel the overwhelming loneliness of his situation, but Nicholas Connor juxtapositions these moments with those of a more light hearted nature.
We are thrust in to a world of delicate and personal memories, of Ben and his sister enjoying their time in the forest and as an audience we feel his connection to the location, thus it becomes not a place of loneliness but the centre of their intimate connection.
Think of Me gives the audience a jarring insight into not just death, but the grief that comes along with it for the loved ones after and it is something that many people can relate to.
Yet Connor as the writer and director places those who may not have had to deal with grief in their lives in a position where they too can relate, by casting competent young actors and choosing a moving and fitting soundtrack, he has created a subtle yet moving atmosphere which is engaging for any viewer.
Think of Me is a compelling short which conveys a powerful message in a very short space of time and is certainly a must watch for any person who is struggling with the subject at hand.
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