Beyond The Lake

A girl and an elderly man embark on a journey, travelling on a boat through a lake.

A young girl (Burns) and an old man (Easterbrook) are on a rowing boat, moving through a large lake, surrounded by mountains and trees. The girl is rowing, while the passenger sits. As they travel, they have conversations regarding where they are heading, a person's name, being old, being young and having a friend. As their journey approaches its end, things get extraordinarily intense, making it clear that this is a fateful endeavour.

Beyond the Lake as a short film is quite mysterious, beginning with two people on a small boat, without explanation as to how they got there and what is going on. Jacob, the elderly man, does not know where they are going and he and the girl do not know each other. However, the girl appears to understand the situation, as she knows their destination and what is going to take place. What she requires, is the name of a person Jacob used to know, which seems to be crucial. Quick flashbacks reveal information about Jacob, which includes a woman in a kitchen and a spinning unusual coin. The plot is a mystery, which is not a negative thing, as it makes viewing more intriguing and the things that occur towards the end make this look like a dark fairy tale.

Easterbrook portrays a character who appears to be saddened by a recent loss, although generally, he comes across as a simple person. Burns plays the most intriguing character, which is a young girl who is calm, polite and appears to be wise beyond her years. She seems to be a special individual and one who is responsible for serious duties and unlike Jacob, she wears unusual clothing.

Constantine directs remarkably and creates some terrific aerial shots. These, along with some impressive special effects, look fantastic thanks to Asmund Berge Jenssen's cinematography.

Fabrizio Gammardella deserves commendations for the superb editing. There are montages that contain fast cutting, creating rather intense moments.

The mesmerising music is one of the strongest aspects of the film, thanks to the contribution by John Koutselinis. The sound effects also stand out, which include whispers overlapping, lightning, echoes and an otherworldly, powerful voice.

Two people are in the isolated countryside, travelling towards the unknown. It is a mysterious journey about old age, youth, friendship and loss and the addition of strong acting, beautiful scenery and a terrific score make this an admirable achievement.