Three Wishes

Three youths spend a night wondering through town and discussing dreams they would like to come true.

Three teenagers in Belfast are spending the day together. The group consists of Ciara (McIvor), her boyfriend Jordan (Townsley) and their friend JP (Parker). They engage in a variety of activities that include cycling, attempting to enter a club but being stopped by a bouncer, attending a house party and hanging out in an abandoned building. They get into trouble, laugh, argue and make wishes.

This short drama has an interesting narrative: it follows the lives of three youngsters as they spend time together and repeatedly play a game that involves mentioning three things they wish would come true. The three protagonists are all in their teens, their whole life ahead of them and at an age where people tend to contemplate what they want out of life, therefore having them wish for things is rather appropriate. Their wishes involve luxury, going back in time or having someone brought back to life and they also provide information regarding their character.

The three main characters are quite different from each other. Ciara is the most sociable and outspoken one, while JP is more down-to-earth. Jordan is the least likeable one, actually he is hardly likeable at all, as he is rude and mistreats Ciara.

Conor Rotherham deserves praise for the moody cinematography and the soundtrack consists of several good tracks.

Over the course of less than ten minutes, this short explores a variety of themes such as nostalgia, coming-of-age, friendship, longing for better things, self-discovery and loss. With well-written dialogue and strong performances, the film is an emotional and thoughtful experience that looks into life's struggles and not just what people want, but what they need as well.