Hindsight

Directed by Remi R.M. Moses, Hindsight follows a young man called Jamal as he buys his first car. Initially an energising novelty among his group of friends, the unexpected caveats of extensive repairs, occurrences of prejudice, and an increase of mundane family errands, make Jamal’s newfound freedom more of a chore than a joyride.

This entire short-film is presented through a sequence of carefully framed match cuts looking from the front of the car’s bonnet inward, a fantastic framing device that challenges the writer to convey a clear vignette of the protagonist’s life purely within the confines of a car. This is made even more impressive by the discovery that most, if not all, of this film was shot on a virtual stage. With a high potential of looking cheap or unnatural, this production manages to utilise the virtual shooting space to its highest effect, and one could easily mistake the car’s location for a tangible one. “When done correctly, virtual production not only solves logistical problems, but also provides a more liberated canvas on which to paint with light and to craft gorgeous cinematic images” remarks V Studio’s VP supervisor/ head of studio Kate Phibbs in relation to this shoot, which is clearly reflected here through the high level of preparation and precision on display from director of photography Fola Abatan.

At the core of the story lies four fantastic central performances from Josh Tedeku, Jude Carmichael, Denzel Baidoo, and Joshua-Alexander Williams that all feel effortlessly relatable, each bringing their own unique energy and humour to their respective roles. This is testament not only to the spot-on casting, but also Moses’ ability to direct actors with such ease and freedom that it plays to the audience as if each moment were entirely candid.

What could easily stick to being a comical tale about four friends and their first car is also laced with deeper themes as Jamal experiences viscerally true-to-life trials such as being racially profiled by police officers, drifting from friends over time, and being suffocated by financial burdens. All of this culminates in a surprisingly hard hitting coming-of-age story that any adult, no matter what demographic, sex or religion they belong to, can sympathise with.

Hindsight is a wild ride and drives the thin road between humour and sincerity to outstanding success, all the while showcasing originality, innovation and talent from all the creatives involved. I have no doubt we will be seeing a lot more exciting work from this team in future.

Hindsight premieres at the BFI London Film Festival in October.