I Feel Lonely

I Feel Lonely, directed by Alexander Tomov-Junior, is a short Bulgarian horror thriller following a young solitary woman who appears to be suffering a mental decline. The film opens with atmospheric, moody shots of motorways and other liminal spaces to establish an eerie sense of dread and displacement. The settings are combined well to highlight empty spaces, building up to introducing the film’s protagonist, the viewer is already familiar with the isolation they will see her endure.

After a crime thriller-esque opening, viewers are placed inside the protagonist's home. This is a sparsely decorated, coldly sterile apartment which swallows her form. She appears small and insignificant within this sea of dull space, highlighting her vulnerability and weakness. The choice of costuming her in juvenile pyjamas and having her undergo her nightly routine conveys the idea that she is in a private space where she should feel comforted, yet lacks this sense of security due to the depraved nature of the setting.

Quickly, the woman’s space is invaded by a force worse than cold isolation. She begins to hear voices from her sink drain, repeating ‘I feel lonely’. Perhaps a fantastical being is taunting her, or maybe it is her mind playing tricks on her, the film does an excellent job in blurring these possibilities, neither of which is any way more comforting than the other.

Throughout the film, sound is used effectively to create an atmosphere of dread. Silence is heavily incorporated to add to the horror, with intervals of a musical score, building up to enhance suspense. There is minimal dialogue, making the viewer constantly aware of each small movement and minuscule sound, keeping us on edge. By depriving the viewer of stimulation, an atmosphere of isolation and directionlessness is created, and every action is highlighted as we too look for answers in the strangest of places, descending into our own insanity as we search.

The setting shifts briefly from the woman’s apartment to the more communal areas of her residential building. Shaky handled camera work immerses the viewer within the space as if they were playing a video game, allowing the camera’s point of view to explore and observe the area. When outside her apartment, there is one conversation which takes place between the woman and a suspicious caretaker, and their interactions lack humanity in their uncanny tonelessness and their cold demeanours. Effectively so, despite this external stimulus, the viewer is never released from the eerie grasp that the space holds them in.

As the film comes to a close, a strong sense of unease and uncertainty is maintained. Viewers may find themselves unsure how to feel sympathy for the protagonist, as well as fear for her, and perhaps their own minds may surface.

Overall, I Feel Lonely is an unsettling short horror film which stands out through its strong use of sound to unnerve, as well as skilled camera work which subtly controls the viewer's gaze and attention. The film is well crafted and strongly succeeds in creating suspense, and a notably talented performance from Diana Kostova, who excellently plays the film’s protagonist, aptly unnerving to encapsulate both the film's message about mental illness, and its ability to engage the viewer through a well-conveyed storyline.