Picture Day

Picture Day is the powerful new drama from writer-director Kelly Pike, and tells a tale of childhood rebellion and anxieties. “A girl must prepare herself for picture day” is the surprisingly simple premise for the film. And yet, within this conceit, comes potential for some wonderfully reflective, and meditative, storytelling. It’s a rich movie, and outstandingly well-made, filled to the brim with ideas about family and girlhood. Our protagonist Casey, for one, displays a naturalistic portrayal of confusion and resentment which rings true throughout. This is a lived-in story – one which you can tell is told from a place of truth and memory.

The first thing you may notice while watching is the movie’s slow pace. This is always wonderful to see, particularly in the context of a drama. When a piece such as this allows the viewer to settle into the environments and the emotions on screen, it becomes a far more rewarding watch than your average short film. What this also displays is impeccable control of tone. This is an amazingly atmospheric and subjective picture, and it puts in the effort to gradually build its world and its ideas, as opposed to simply laying it all out in front of us.

So how does the film hold our attention, without a conventionally dense plot? You could argue that the most obvious factor is the cinematography. This is an undeniably beautiful movie. Shot in an anamorphic 35mm-look which really lends itself to a story feeling like a memory – the grain and shallow focus taking on some faded quality. It’s so vibrant and textured that the viewer finds oneself completely overwhelmed by certain shots. For instance, there’s one wide shot which tracks to the left along with Casey on her bicycle – the sunset flaring into the lens and filling the frame with gold. It’s unbelievable work.

This is a seemingly simple movie infused with detail. Namely, the character of the father having a military job is something of a background feature, completely implicit; however, when you - as an audience member - begin to think about its implications, you realise that this girl has probably had a challenging life, and perhaps this is a family which is always moving around, never settling. This also lends the piece a touch of realism – a portrait of American life for a young person, feeling alienated at a specific place and time. The family politics are also perfectly realised, with the controversy of the haircut and then ear-piercings being small issues at face-value, but their being used as emotional warfare is well-observed.

I adored this film, and audiences I’m sure will be equally engaged by its story and style. It’s destined to do fantastically, and readers should not miss the opportunity to seek it out. The sound design is phenomenal, the editing isn’t heavy-handed and allows the shots to breathe. Impeccable performances across the board, and a core vision which has a lot to say. Picture Day will have you immersed from beginning to end, and will stick in your memory long after you’ve watched it.