★★★★★ Directed by: #ZoeDobson Written by: #AliCook Starring: #SimonArmstrong, #AliCook, #IanKelly Film review by Lucy Clarke The Cunning Man is the kind of story that’s whispered in pubs with roaring fires or found sandwiched between the yellowing pages of a magic book. It’s the kind of story that gets passed from father to son. The film’s premise is cloaked in history, as our main character is inspired by a real cunning man, John Harries (1785-1839), a famous astrologer and warlock. Yet, this short film balances on the edge of modernity, thrusting this old tale full of magic right into our present. In this modern retelling, we are introduced to Arfan Harries (Simon Armstrong) instead of John Harries. Arfan is a quiet farmer, happy in his solitude. This cunning man dwells in our time, and director Zoe Dobson makes this perfectly clear in the first second of the film when a Landrover blaring loud music drives past. The driver is the greedy Knackerman (Ali Cook) who only thinks in terms of profit. Arfan is a mysterious figure, seen around the town clutching a sack filled with dead animals. These country lanes are beautiful but bleak. The pub is empty, and there’s a little bit of loneliness that tinges this piece. This is folklore by way of Happy Valley, and it’s a fairytale with the edge of a modern Western. The music is enchanting but claustrophobic, but this is in no way a horror. Dobson and writer Ali Cook have created a unique tale; steeped in history and magical realism, and this is a film which continues to be intriguing long after you’ve finished it. At the crux of this story is the tension between the good cunningman, Arfan, and the mercenary Knackerman and his right-hand man, The Inspector (Ian Kelly). But this is far from a simplistic story. This film is illustrated with brown and green tones, countryside hills and sunlight is captured on the lens. Not only is this short film beautiful, but all the shots are precise and clean. We see close-ups of cooked chicken pulled apart by the leg; cigarettes lifted up to mouths, and flies that gently buzz and swarm. These images are a perfect marriage with strong acting from Simon Armstrong. Arfan Harries is a quiet soul who prefers to mind his own business. He doesn’t start conversations with others and isn’t a great talker. Yet, Armstrong communicates so much in a simple look. The audience becomes convinced that this is a man who has roamed these country lanes for aeons and quickly develops an affinity with him. This is a rare, mystical gem of a short film. It is beautifully shot and is a fantastic example of magical realism. There is something extraordinary about Dobson’s short film, which goes far beyond the miracles and magic. Although the premise is simple, the end result is nothing short of spellbinding.

★★ Directed by: #RyanMcDonald Written by: #RyanMcDonald Starring: #MichaelSolarez, #NicoleFinney, #DemetriusDaniels Film review by Lucy Clarke If dating is taking baby steps, then marriage is a leap into the unknown. Romantic stories typically end when the couple finally say “I do”. The credits roll when Harry kisses Sally, and all of Jane Austen’s works end with happy marriages. While romance films are commonplace, stories that place married couples at the centre are not. Ryan McDonald’s feature film, Married and Loving It!, focusses on married life rather than the high of a whirlwind romance or the low of a divorce. Married and Loving It! is a feature-length film comprised of five different chapters featuring four couples. They are all on the eve of their tenth anniversary, but it’s clear that it’s not all plain sailing. Instead of marital bliss, they are desperately treading water. Each vignette focuses on a different aspect of these couples’ lives, ranging from explosive arguments to intimate love scenes. In films about romance and relationships, often nothing is more important than a well-written script and chemistry between the actors. A carefully put-together script can hint at the problems rippling below the surface of a happy marriage, and a glance between two actors can be wordlessly suggestive. Married and Loving It! ‘s script has all the nuance of a bowling ball ricocheting down the alley. As soon as the camera starts rolling, the couples hurl profanities at each other. By five minutes in, none of the swear words retains that necessary punch. By ten minutes, the expletives are rendered completely meaningless. Although this is an attempt to preserve realism, this script has a higher swear count than a Quentin Tarantino movie. Besides the redundant swear words, the writing fails to deliver. The first segment centres on an argument about Me Too and rape culture. While the man is contrarian and the woman borders on fanatical, this twenty-minute argument doesn’t tell you anything about their ten-year marriage. Even though this film begs to shock, it’s missing several vital components to tell a good story. However, some chapters shine brighter than others. The husband and wife in the third segment, (Ryan McDonald and Cheryl Holdaway) work brilliantly together. The scenario is wonderfully imaginative. As they argue about who should really be doing the washing up, each of them fantasizes about violently murdering the other. This is wickedly similar to Danny DeVito’s black comedy, The War of the Roses. After the first two rather uninspiring segments, this particular segment is like a breath of fresh air. Devin Liljenquist and Cherie Julander, who play the last couple, also have a great chapter together. The wife flirts and seduces her husband, and there is a brilliant voiceover of a post-coital conversation played over an intimate scene, which felt very inspired by the sex scene in Nicholas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now. Unfortunately, this film is let down by unevenness between each section. These glimpses of greatness are few and far between. Throughout the film, it becomes evident that there will be a big twist in the final act. But when the twist does come, it isn’t ground-breaking. It’s gimmicky. This twist does little to comment on the ups and downs of marriage. In truth, this would have been a far stronger film without this conclusion, but the film is obsessed with rethinking cinema, which is ultimately its downfall. Undoubtedly imaginative, this film falls a little flat. It does little to romance the audience or to illustrate the ups and downs of a ten-year marriage. The shock value lacks any real weight and renders itself unnecessary. Don’t be in any haste to walk down the aisle for this film.

★★★★ Directed by: Sonia Nassery Cole Written by: Sean O'Byrne Starring: Emre Cetinkaya, Damla Sonmez, Kaan Songun Film Review by: Jason Knight The film begins with a type of occurrence that has become all too common: a bomb exploding in a crowded area. Terrorism causes great pain and suffering by ending and destroying lives. Based on real events, Cole's hard-hitting drama I Am You depicts in great detail how far people are willing to go in order to avoid such atrocities. After a devastating terrorist attack and witnessing the death of his father by the ISIS, young man Masoud (Cetinkaya) decides to leave Afghanistan and, with the aid of smugglers, migrate to Germany, where he has connections that can help him built a new life there for himself and his family. He travels primarily by car, accompanied by a pregnant doctor Aisha (Sonmez) and an elderly man. The film follows their harrowing journey as they travel from country to country. It must be pointed out that the refugee crisis is a huge, ongoing issue that needs to be addressed. Refugees are often seen on the news, and it is heart-breaking to watch them and learn how they flee their own homes to get out of harm's way and how desperate they are to find a place where they would be welcome and safe. Masoud and his family are presented as happy, well-meaning individuals living in Afghanistan. When the violence of the extremists reaches them, it is upsetting to see that change and watch them as they struggle to keep their heads up and survive. Cetinkaya and Sonmez in particular deliver strong performances as two people who refuse to be defeated and are determined to get through whatever comes their way. And Songun is menacing as the ISIS member, representing the brutality that damages their country. Director Cole does a remarkable job, and creates many beautiful shots of landscapes and cities. And composers Jerry Lane and Andrew Lancaster's haunting, mesmerizing music adds significant qualities. I Am You is a journey. It is a journey of survival, suffering but also love. As it is based on a true story, it is proof that the human spirit cannot be broken and that even under the worst circumstances, one can emerge victorious. #JasonKnight

★★★★ Directed by: Robin Phillips Written by: Christina Di Marlo (aka Robin Phillips) Starring: Robin Phillips Film Review by: Jason Knight William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor and is generally considered the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major modern language and till this day are continued to be studied and performed more often than those of any other playwright. However, was Shakespeare really the creator of these famous plays, or was it someone else? Influenced by Roland Emmerich's 2011 film Anonymous, which explores the idea that Edward De Verne, the 17th Earl of Oxford, a playwright and poet himself, is the one who wrote the plays, Phillips decided to make a documentary that focuses on that theory. One thing that stands out is Phillips herself. She is also the presenter and narrator and she wears 16th century royal dresses, as she addresses the audience. She is dressed in numerous outfits throughout, all of which look outstanding, and apparently does so in order to in a way bring the viewer back to the time of Shakespeare. And it does work! Costumes aside, Phillips does a great job in attracting the viewer's attention. She comes across as very likeable and knowledgeable, and speaks with passion and enthusiasm, also using humour. The film also utilizes another technique to bring people into the world of Shakespeare: the music! Whoever watches this documentary will also have the pleasure of constantly listening to music from that era. Making the decision to use this kind of music definitely adds great qualities. The documentary provides a great deal of information about its topic. Phillips' entertaining voice-over accompanies the audience through many shots of wonderful paintings and drawings that depict relevant historical individuals, and shots of old documents and manuscripts. In addition to this there are also sequences where quotes of experts are shown on screen, along with an image of them. The film has been put together through methodical editing, primarily making use of the dissolve technique. Overall, the film is fun to watch. As mentioned, Phillips uses humour and does so to great effect. She explains the facts in such a manner, one would think that she is talking to children. At certain parts her face appears at part of the screen as she rings a bell, in order to signify that an important fact has just been pointed out. This method is kind of childish, but nevertheless amusing and clever. Plus, when Phillips quotes lines, they also appear in letters, making sure that everyone understands what she just said! This entertaining, thought-provoking film had a great deal of research and hard work put into it and is likely to attract attention due to the question it poses. #JasonKnight

★★★ Directed by: Hope Madden Written by: Hope Madden Starring: Cat McAlpine Film Review by: Jason Knight People sometimes do nasty things when they get angry. A woman (McAlpine) is driving to a remote location in the middle of the night. She is rather angry with a particular individual and she intents to do something about it. This short crime thriller starts out as a mystery. All the viewers have to begin with is woman driving to an unknown destination. What is she up to? It is soon revealed that she is determined and angry and is seeking revenge on the person who she believes wronged someone she cares about. As she drives on in the darkness, she constantly lets her thoughts and feelings come out and the audience has to pick up clues from her words in order to find out what is going on. By the end it all becomes clear. What is mostly seen in the film is McAlpine's face as she drives. She expresses herself very convincingly and describes the events in such a way that it is clear that they have affected her enormously. She effectively shows emotions of anger, frustration and sarcasm, leaving no doubt that she has reached her breaking point. Although the concept focuses on a sinister situation, the film also has humour. As the annoyed woman is on a mission to do some nastiness, she is also eating chips and drinking a refreshment. And Donovan Riley Wolfington's guitar score that is heard throughout adds a light and not-very-serious tone. Godspeed could be classified as a short road movie. From start to finish the audience are taken for a ride by the protagonist and they listen to her as she contemplates her intended actions and looks back at the events that made her decide to do them. It could also be described as a thriller due to the actions that she takes. Writer and director Madden has created a piece of work that contains a story full of questions that the audience will be very keen to find the answers for as they watch it. #JasonKnight

★★★ Directed by #AlexHustonFischer #EleanorWilson Written by #AlexHustonFischer #EleanorWilson Starring #SunitaMani #JohnReynolds Film Review by Hope Madden Save Yourselves! review “The world is f*cked and we should stop pretending it’s not.” True enough. This piece of insight comes from Su (Sunita Mani), one half of the Brooklyn couple who’s disconnected to enjoy a week in nature, away from the distractions of a life spent too much online. Yes, Su has brought an internet list of ways to improve as a couple, but she handwrote the list into her notebook, so it’s OK. Meanwhile, longtime (maybe too long?) boyfriend Jack (John Reynolds, Stranger Things) is jonesing to YouTube his tips for humanely trapping a rabbit. But he will not give in! No, the two are committed to staying off the grid and offline this week, no matter the cost. Naturally, this is the week the world ends. Writers/directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, a couple themselves, create a comfortable, hipster vibe. Su and Jack’s relationship is funny in a way that feels less like cynicism and more like compassionately self-referential mockery. Both performances are charmingly irritating, if that’s a thing. It is here, which could be hard to sell but it’s imperative in this film. The couple is lightly self-obsessed and overly sensitive—an affectionate rip on millennials—but they are sincerely fond of each other, and we are, in turn, fond of them. Things get sillier once the threat exposes itself. The earth has been overrun by fuzzy little puff balls the couple refers to as pouffes. Yes, the harmless looking—adorable, even—mayhem does feel remarkably similar to those tribbles that caused the Star Trek crew such trouble back in the day. That’s not the only part of the filmmakers’ feature debut that feels somewhat borrowed, but don’t let them fool you. Just when you think the film itself is selling out, promoting a status quo, nuclear family vibe that would sink the entire production, nope. The lighthearted cynicism and dystopian dread that marks a generation rears its pessimistic but nonetheless delightful head for an end that’s an unsettling mix of optimism and desperation. #HopeMadden

★★★ Directed by #LydiaDeanPilcher Written by #SarahMeganThomas Starring #SarahMeganThomas #StanKatic #RadhikaApte Film Review by Brandon Thomas A Call to Spy Movie Review Finding a new way to tell a story set during World War II can’t be easy. Men on a mission? Loads of those. Pulpy action adventures? Some of the biggest movies of all time. Dramas exploring the depths of the human condition? We’ve all cried during these. What about the true story of female spies sent to France as secret agents? Yeah, that sounds fresh, and thankfully A Call to Spy is just that. Great Britain had its back firmly against the wall in the early days of WW II. The Blitz had nearly brought the country to its knees, and Germany’s occupation of France made the threat of invasion seem imminent. In desperation, Winston Churchill formed the Special Operations Executive (SOE), a new spy agency with one purpose: recruit and train women as spies. A Call to Spy focuses on three women: Vera Atkins (Stana Katic), a Bavarian-born Jew, Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas), an American, and Noor Khan (Radhika Apte), an Indian Muslim. As the top recruiter, Atkins makes unusual choices in the other two. Hall is a wannabe diplomat with a wooden leg, while Noor is a pacifist. Within the grid of a taught spy thriller, A Call to Spy is mostly interested in how these three pushed back against multiple systems that found them to be less-than. Writer and star Sarah Megan Thomas, along with director Lydia Dean Pilcher, weave this true story in such a way that each woman’s tale is given weight and purpose. Unlike many female- driven spy films, our protagonists aren’t scantily clad vixens. Their strength lies in their brains, their cunning and their resolve. Thomas and Katic channel equal parts determination and vulnerability in their performances. They are leaders who know they have more eyes on them than their male counterparts. Apte’s Noor has the less flashy role that’s at times regulated to the sidelines for huge swaths of the movie. Her final few scenes are intense and devastating, though. A Call to Spy jumps around so much that at times it does seem like large chunks of story are being left by the wayside. The character work is subtle and nuanced, but the narrative feels as if it’s tripping over its own feet. Those clunkier moments at times make the movie more resemble a trailer than a fully cohesive story. With an interesting look at a true World War II story and captivating performances, A Call to Spy is able to overcome some narrative shortcomings to land as a tense spy thriller. #BrandonThomas

★★★ Directed by #ThomasRobertLee Written by #ThomasRobertLee Starring #CatherineWalker #JessicaReynolds #JaredAbrahamson Film Review by Hope Madden The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw Review Who’s the villain? A vampire didn’t choose that destiny, nor the zombie, nor even the werewolf. All three are victims of fate. The witch, however, comes to her dark powers by choice. And maybe – as Robert Eggers pointed out in his 2015 masterpiece The VVitch—that choice might even make some sense. Since Eggers’s beguiling horror show, a number of filmmakers have joined him in his ruminations. Lukas Fiegelfeld’s mesmerizing 2017 debut Hagazussa and Luca Guadagnino’s 2018 feminist reprise of Suspiria represent the strongest among the resulting films. Few if any will ever tell the tale so powerfully or so well as Eggers, but writer/director Thomas Robert Lee has a go with The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw. His film is interested in women’s agency, their oddness, what they owe, what they should and shouldn’t be deciding for themselves, and what they are willing to sacrifice. It’s August of 1973, but it could just as easily be the 1950s or the 1880s. (So why 1973? It was a big year in women’s rights, after all.) A rugged woman, isolated from the nearby religious community, stands silhouetted against her barn, ax and woodpile. She is Agatha Earnshaw (Catherine Walker), and she has a secret. Things haven’t been right in the village since the eclipse 17 years back, but things have been especially troubling lately. Agatha has the only farm that’s producing, the only animals that haven’t taken sick. Performances are wonderful in a film that looks rustic and spooky, creating a time out of time. Walker, who was so effective in the wonderful little Irish horror Dark Song, cuts an impressive figure of maternal ferocity. She’s orbited by consistently impressive turns, whether the sincere pastor (Sean McGinley), entitled patriarch (Tom Carey), distraught husband (Jared Abrahamson), or young woman finding her voice (Jessica Reynolds). Each man, however sympathetic or compassionate, represents danger. Like a lot of horror films, The  Curse of Audrey Earnshaw is a coming-of-age cautionary tale: fear the power of womanhood. But Lee is careful to keep asking who, exactly, is the villain here? The direction is too often obvious: a cough, a handkerchief, blood. At other times, cinematic choices betray the film’s low budget. The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw will never reach the ranks of classic, but it makes a lot of bold choices and leaves an impression. #HopeMadden

★★★ Directed by #EmmanuelOseiKuffour Written by #WadeAllainMarcus #StephenHerman #EmmanuelOseiKuffour Starring #MamoudouAthie #PhyliciaRashad Film Review by George Wolf Black Box Movie Review Nolan (Mamoudou Athie) needs Post-It Notes to get through the day. A car crash took his wife and his memory, and the colorful little squares give Nolan useful info while his young daughter Ava (Amanda Christine) is often forced to assume a parental role. But there is some hope…of the experimental kind. Dr. Lillian Brooks (Phylicia Rashad) thinks she can help Nolan regain his memory and reclaim his life through her “black box” therapy. Worn like a high-tech VR headset, it allows the patient to wander through their own subconscious, re-living past experiences until they manifest in the conscious world. Wow, that’s amazing! What could go wrong? Director and co-writer Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour anchors his feature debut with some recognizable inspirations, crafting another sci-fi ode to identity that flirts with horror tropes while struggling to find a unique voice. Athie (The Get Down, Underwater) carries the load here with admirable range. The Nolan we come to know early on is not one found in his own subconscious. And as Nolan comes to fear that he is not the man he thought he was, Athie deftly balances the dual roles fighting for control. And memories aren’t the only area full of mystery. Nolan’s friend Gary (Tosin Morohunfola), a Dr. himself, follows some suspicions to uncover disturbing information about the night of his buddy’s tragic car accident. The note-posting and body-writing may totally recall Memento, but Black Box also swims in waters populated by iconic J-horror visuals and a touch of Get Out‘s “sunken place.” The wonders of technology can hide a dark, malevolent side, and we can lose ourselves believing we are always in control. It’s not a new idea, and Black Box doesn’t blaze any new trails revisiting it. But it is committed to the viability of the journey, and finds its greatest success in engagement rather than surprise. #GeorgeWolf

★★★★ Directed by #SofiaCoppola Written by #SofiaCoppola Starring #BillMurray #RashidaJones #MarlonWayans Film Review by Hope Madden On the Rocks Movie Review At its surface, On the Rocks offers a wryly fun adventure film. It’s a flashy, superficial good time with Bill Murray, and who does not want that?! It’s a father/daughter romp and a heist film of sorts, full of high-end cocktails, cool cars, and hijinks. But that’s not really the film at all. Writer/director Sofia Coppola’s latest is a candy-coated rumination on legacies left by loving but problematic fathers. Rashida Jones is Laura, a writer devoting most of her attention and time to her two little girls, with little left for creativity or chemistry. Her husband (Marlon Wayans) is putting in extra hours at work, traveling a lot, and spending a lot of time with his leggy colleague Fiona (Jessica Henwick). Maybe he’s just busy and maybe Laura’s just in a rut. Dad doesn’t think so. Laura’s unrepentant playboy dad Felix (Murray) orchestrates a sleuthing adventure, tailing hubby’s taxis and offering sage advice from a man who knows a little something about infidelity. Murray is all charm, his charisma at fever pitch. There’s also a lonesome, tender quality to the performance that gives it real depth, and enough self-absorption to grant it some authenticity. Jones, as his reluctant accomplice, suggests the reality of midlife doldrums with grace. She also transmits the tragic enthusiasm of a daughter still pleased to be the focus of her father’s attention. It’s almost impossible to avoid comparing Coppola’s latest dramedy with her Oscar-winning 2003 Murray vehicle, Lost in Translation. There are certainly similar themes: a woman unsure about her marriage finds herself drawn into a paternal relationship (with Bill Murray). On the Rocks is too tidy and too slick to entirely stand up to that comparison, but like Lost in Translation, there’s an autobiographical quality to the film that gives it a soul. #HopeMadden

★★★★★ Stars Directed by: #ChristopherKey Written by: #ChristopherKey Starring: #NeilHobbs, #RoisinBevan, #RuthSimmonds, #JenniferKey Film Review by: Alicia Moore “With a tragic ordeal he would rather forget, Michael revisits the day that changed his life forever; all whilst facing one of the most challenging decisions he has ever made… a decision that he hopes will bring closure to his past and comfort to his future.” Within is presented in a documentary-style format as Michael (Neil Hobbs) tells the story of how he lost his daughter, with further third-person perspective scenes included as well which depict touching details of how he gets to meet her again in another form of life. This short film left me speechless for a number of minutes before I finally decided to put pen to paper and begin writing. It is almost impossible to fully describe in words how many emotions will be ignited within you as you watch this and how strongly they crash against your rib cage. Neil Hobbs as Michael gives one of the most striking performances I’ve seen this year throughout the films I have reviewed. It isn’t surprising that he has won awards for his performance in this short. His ability to express such deep-seated emotions is beyond spectacular — as Michael describes the day he lost his daughter, the showcase of pure despair and desire to have her back in his arms again shines through in a natural, breaking beauty. These emotions hang heavy in the air, making the situation feel entirely factual; empathy, as a viewer, quickly rises as a result of Hobbs’ otherworldly acting power. Every feeling laced in his words and displayed on his face is soaked up by the audience, immediately creating a personal relationship between the character and the viewers. Trust me when I say that this connection refuses to break even after watching. The lack of musical input throughout the short only adds to the atmosphere too, thickening the air and enhancing every uttered word and soft sob. This lack of tracks also pulls each viewer closer to the characters. Voicing that this film designs an incredibly intimate and captivating ambience is an understatement, and I love that about it! I think each viewer has a different experience while watching; everyone concluding with the same impact felt but each with a more personalised range of perspectives and sentiments as well. The work by the director of photography, George Myer, is another aspect that must be praised. The cinematography is simplistic, obviously matching the form of which the story is told in, but it is not dull… it is light years away from being described as dull. The simplicity is breathtaking when paired with the context of the film and how the shots are stitched together. I would rather the word ‘gentle’ be used towards the cinematography instead of simplistic because somehow the word implies something without vibrancy, but each scene is bursting with vibrancy of all kinds. Within should possess a never-ending list of awards and notes of appreciation, I truly have nothing negative to say about this impressive short film — it is a journey filled with heartwarming sadness; the two words are commonly known as opposites but Within expertly brings them together to bond as family instead.

★★★★ Written & Directed by #RaphaelGonzalez Starring #TaylorHancock, #TracyMartin Film Review by Lawrence Bennie What would be worse for a rising young actor? Facing a room full of cynical critics or a classroom of obnoxious school pupils? In Raphael Frost Gonzalez’s excellent short The Performance, both worlds meld together with simple yet startling effect. Marvin Bigsby (Taylor Hancock) arrives to a careers day at the middle school of his younger brother. Ready to wow his young audience with first-hand Hollywood acting, Marvin unexpectedly comes under fire from a prickly class teacher (Tracy Martin) and her flippant young students. Nominated for TMFF Best Actor, and a regular of Gonzalez, Taylor Hancock is perfectly cast as the hapless Marvin whose cool demeanour soon unravels in an increasingly awkward 8 minutes. It’s not hard to imagine the countless frustrated young actors Marvin represents and Hancock brings this to the screen with assured believability. When he finally snaps and lets his unconscious boil over, it’s also an emphatic moment for all the educators of the world who have to bite their lips day after day in hostile classrooms. Gonzalez stages the single scene skilfully with a simple but effective technique; a circular frame where Marvin takes centre stage. The connotations are interesting. Is it a spotlight of sorts? Or, is there a more cynical edge to the shot? Perhaps Marvin is in the middle of a target, his performing career reduced to the point where almost nothing else fills the screen? His classroom audience are kept out of sight; Gonzalez holds the single shot on Marvin which, ingeniously, allows us to share both perspectives. We also end up bombarded with one tricky question after another but, equally, we’re facing Marvin in the classroom just as the pupils are. We're in both sets of shoes. The most obvious, yet most difficult, question to answer of course concerns the film’s title. Is it a reference to the performance that Marvin (prepped to deliver an ill-advised segment from R-rated Boogie Nights) never gets round to sharing? When Marvin is ironically greeted with applause from the kids, convinced he’s just delivered “the best acting ever”, Marvin, and the viewers, understand how his rant has unintentionally taken on new meaning from meltdown to performance. For the pupils anyway, this is the performance that Marvin does give and they’re delighted, urging him on for an encore. Yet, once more, we share an uncomfortable perspective with Marvin. Is this - frustrated, disillusioned and, ultimately, misunderstood - the performance he’s destined to give, again and again? At this point, Gonzalez’s camera zooms into close-up and Marvin, semi-sarcastically acknowledging the clapping class, turns to face the camera and signs off with a world-weary “Thank You”. His inhibitions may have returned but his tone of weariness says it all. Perhaps, for Marvin, this is as good as it’s going to get. And he's far from happy about it. With passing similarities to Stella Velon’s The Critic, which also explores the pressured realities behind a Hollywood star, The Performance is a winning short worthy of its TMFF accolades. If Marvin’s performance doesn’t quite end up going according to plan, Gonzalez’s film certainly does. #LawrenceBennie Watch the entire film here: