★★★★ Stars Directed by: #SouvikChakraborty Written by: #SouvikChakraborty Starring: Various workers of Mumbai’s streets. Film Review by: Alicia Moore Dialog is an experimental short film by Souvik Chakraborty which offers musical communication through the chime and play of the streets of Mumbai. The film bonds together the organic sounds of the streets with upbeat melodies to present a flowing story centred around the labourers of the city. The story that Dialog gifts to its viewers is one of strong meaning and purpose, showcasing the contrast between the hardships and excitement of daily life – a film that has the potential to resonate with the vast majority of the Earth’s population. The colourful visuals paired with the natural sounds and beats makes this short film a festival experience for the soul. Although there are certain scenes of true hard labour, there are other scenes that showcase bright smiles and playful attitudes; such a powerful atmosphere to be hugged into. As an audience member you feel completely captivated by the energy of Mumbai and its quotidian activities, whether you are entranced by the visuals or music individually or the beautiful, overwhelming experience overall. In regards to the technical making of the film, the editing (Nitin Burli) and producing (Souvik Chakraborty; music produced by Ankit Uppal) brings the short even more to life. The concept of Dialog itself is entirely human, something so vibrant and already filled with heart, but the stitching together of the scenes and sounds definitely enhances the greatness of the story aim. Each element of this short matches so perfectly, staying on the same track from start to finish. It is a relaxing ride as viewers are simply carried through the film atop personified sheet music. Music is what fuels the dreams and aspirations of cities all around the world and Mumbai isn’t any different from the rest. Dialog is an intriguing and stimulating demonstration of this concept, a pure energy booster for its audience. I applaud Souvik Chakraborty for his motivational work on this short film, it is something that will sing in my mind for a long time going forward.

★★★ Directed by: #AnnaPanova Short Film Review by Taryll Baker A video portrait of two Boston-based middle-aged women, whose parents were experiencing the extreme opposites of World War II. The short film is based on their past stories and the evening event ‘For our fathers' they organised, that is explored by songs and drawings as instruments of living through their grief and legacy. As WWII documentaries go, this is a fairly good look at how the experiences of war can affect a person. We see stories being told by two women, whose fathers were silent and detached from reality, no thanks to the cruel past that framed their life. History is often terrible, but we must look it in the face to push forward and correct ourselves and those around us. Point Symmetry is a short documentary that perhaps could have been longer. Its themes of confronting the past, with the women telling their own stories, is well conceived. However, I couldn’t help but feel it was a little rushed. The structuring would be greatly improved with a longer running time, as it allows for stories to be fully fleshed out, in turn giving the viewer time to settle in and perhaps experience just a fraction of what they experienced, just through the power of words. That’s not to say it’s not affecting, Point Symmetry is still fairly gripping and it shows tremendous potential. In terms of production, this certainly has the independent feel. Suitable music is cut (though a little roughly) into the scenes and the narration carries the viewer through each of them. The stories told are touching and, given the subject of the Holocaust and WWII in general, quite terrible. Anna Panova’s eye for this style of documentary is evidently skilful, though like I mentioned before, this could be even more impactful with a slight rebuild. The film jumps right in with a story, and it’s as if we’ve been talking with this individual for a while before the camera rolled. So it’s a little jarring, and I feel with these themes and the subject matter, a long feature is as crucial as it is beneficial. Point Symmetry has solid editing, great storytellers, and features some wonderful artwork inspired by the events of our past. As it stands, it’s a good framework for a potential feature length. Anna Panova’s direction is fantastic and I hope to see more of her work going forward. #TaryllBaker

Runtime: 72 mins Directed by: Erik Bloomquist Starring: Caroline Williams, Nicole Kang, Nicholas Tucci Grimmfest Feature by: Darren Tilby Synopsis: On the eve of her forced retirement, veteran late-night radio host Amy Marlowe and her uneasy staff are trapped inside WLST Radio station by a violent hurricane, while a mysterious new replacement shadows her every move. Grimmfest say: Imagine if Stretch had never run into that pesky family of cannibals, but had just kept on working at that tiny radio station; thirty-four years on, and she's an increasingly embittered, ageing rock chick, struggling to hold on to her youth while facing the prospect of replacement by an ambitious younger woman. Such is the starting point for Erik Bloomquist's mischievous and thought-provoking movie, which sees Caroline Williams returning to the late-night DJ slot to confront a whole new set of monsters. Combining a loving, genre-savvy homage to classic 80s horror cinema with a surprisingly powerful and sympathetic meditation on age, particularly as it affects women, and the metaphorical “death” of losing the job and the life you feel valued in, the film is as effective in its quieter, more contemplative, character-based moments, as in its more gaudy genre flourishes. Anchored by a beautifully judged performance from Williams, and with a fine sense of retro-styling in its choice of title sequence, music cues, and colour palette, this is a film with real heart. Even if it does feel the need to put a stake through it. What I'm Expecting: For Ten Minutes to Midnight, I'm expecting a full-fledged homage to the horror films of the 1980s; a splatterfest of gore and goo; an entertaining no brainer to appease those brought up during the golden age of cinema (I know the general consensus is that ended in the 60s, but we all know that's a lie). I'd like to see extensive use of practical special effects - they're always better than CGI and in movies like this, they just make sense. But, most of all, I'm excited to see how the filmmakers have handled this "mediation on age, particularly as it affects women". This sounds really exciting and could be the making of this film; setting it apart from others like it...or it could end up being horribly problematic.

★★★★ Directed by #MirandaJuly Written by #MirandaJuly Starring #EvanRachelWood #GinaRodriguez #DebraWinger #RichardJenkins Film Review by Hope Madden Kajillionaire Movie Review Can a film be absurd without really being cynical? That might be the miracle of Miranda July, who mixes heartbreak and humour like no one else. Fifteen years since her groundbreaking Me and You and Everyone We Know and nine years since The Future, the writer/director returns to the screen with a film every bit as ambitious but perhaps more contained and intimate. In Kajillionaire, a miraculous Evan Rachel Wood is Old Dolio Dyne, a 26-year-old woman-child who knows no existence other than that of the low-rent cons she runs day in, day out with her dishevelled but wily parents (Richard Jenkins and Debra Winger). Like Hirokazu Koreeda’s delicate 2018 film Shoplifters and Bong Joon Ho’s 2019 masterpiece Parasite, Kajillionaire disregards the idea of the glamorous con and settles fully into the concept of scam as a daily grind. And, like Koreeda and Ho, July uses this workaday world to examine family. Although July’s vision is more decidedly comedic and highly stylized, she hits the same notes. The Dynes make their home in an abandoned office space that shares a wall with a car wash. Every day—twice on Wednesdays—pink bubbles descend that wall and it’s up to the Dynes to collect, discard, and dry, lest the foundation of the building become besot with dampness and mold. The precision clockwork (their digital watches are timed to go off) and the pink ooze become ideal identifiers of Old Dolio’s rigid yet surreal existence. Things get unpredictable when Mom and Dad take a shine to Melanie (an effervescent Gina Rodriguez). She loves their oddball qualities and wants to join the team, but Old Dolio is immediately put off by the disruption, and more than that, by her parents’ doting affection for Melanie. July is a sharp, witty and incisive filmmaker, but Kajillionaire benefits more from the performances than any of her other films. Wood is like an alien visiting human life, then imitating and observing it, and the performance is oddly heartbreaking. Jenkins and Winger are reliably magnificent, and Rodriguez’s bright charm is the needed light in an otherwise gloomy tale. The film hits July’s sweet spot: gawky introverts struggling to find, accept and maintain human connections. The humour works as well as it does because the whimsy and eccentricity in the film are grounded in compassion rather than mockery. #HopeMadden

★ Directed by: #JohnBabu Written by: #JohnBabu Starring: #MichaelMarshall #JamesKakaletris #MoniqueBourgeois and #JoshBabu Film Review by: Madison Ford A Candle in the Dark is a short supernatural film, which follows The Medium, a man who tries to live up to his mother’s reputation by delving into the spirituality of transcendentalism. Whilst he battles with his ability to perform as a medium, an unknown man lingers and follows his every move, seemingly without reason. The film explores the afterlife and ‘the other side’ whilst taking the audience on a journey as the characters search for either the truth or for a sense of accomplishment. Sound plays an important part in this 9-minute short film, Jordan C Koziej composed original music for the film, which is used alongside a mixture of ambience and foley from online resources. Whilst writing, directing, producing, and starring in the piece, Babu is also the editor and uses haunting music to bring an element of tension to the film. It benefits from its use of sound in terms of music, as it does well to initially set up the tone of the film. However, it appears a little lacklustre as the voiceover from the actors is almost jarring. Their tone and emotion fail to come through convincingly, turning what could have been a suspenseful film into a rather dull one. The acting aside from the use of voiceover is not outstanding, from both Michael Marshall as The Medium and James Kakaletris as The Mystery Character. Both actors seem to almost downplay their roles and the delivery doesn’t quite hit the mark. Elements of their dialogue could have been heightened and used to create more tension but instead, they seem to fall flat. The premise of this film and the ending are good, and it plays well with some focus changes from Cinematographer John Doe, to draw attention to certain parts of the scene. There is a nice reveal right at the end which does work well by leaving the film on a slight cliff-hanger which is always a good way to draw the audience in and make them reflect on the film. Unfortunately, the film feels slow and a little boring, it could have packed a punch with a different cast and an improved narrative structure. There is definitely something good to be taken from this film; the idea is sound and this being Babu’s first short, there’s hope that in time the final result will match the initial intention. The script is good but it’s the execution that lets A Candle in the Dark down.

★★★ Directed by: #ZiyiJin Written By: #ZiyiJin and #JunTang Starring: #JuandelaLoza, #VicenteFerri and #BrayanJaramilloMartínez Short film review by: Brian Penn To be gay in an apparently straight world is a challenge for those who strive for acceptance over toleration. However, a small village in the devoutly Roman Catholic Mexico is not the obvious place for sexual freedom to flourish. This aesthetically pleasing film from Ziji Jin tracks the repressed feelings of an older man when his true love seemingly walks away. The Spanish translation of the film’s title is an infinitely more poetic Caballos Blancos, Mina De Plata. It may be a euphemism for the sacrifices we make in pursuit of life’s treasure; but this film delivers something much more prosaic and affecting. Juan (Juan de la Loza) is a hard bitten mine owner whose under paid workforce are on the verge of collapse. An empty mine has left hungry mouths to feed. They quit en masse but one worker Sebastian (Vicente Ferri) finds it more difficult to leave. Stolen glances clearly suggest their relationship goes deeper than master and servant. Juan’s son Alex (Brayan Jaramillo Martínez) feels attached to Sebastian who has become his friend. The boy senses they should be together and understands the pain of separation. The vast expanse of Mexican countryside is used to stunning effect with some crystal clear visuals. Dialogue is used sparingly across the piece as the audience is left to find a silent story in the eyes of Juan. This works reasonably well as Sebastian and Alex are more demonstrable in the narrative. However, Juan could have used more dialogue to even out the overly strong persona he readily adopts. Nevertheless, it’s a smartly captured story of how opposites can be drawn to each other; one in complete denial of his feelings while the other overflows with affection. Typically, it’s Brayan Jaramillo Martínez as Alex who steals the show as the boy who shows maturity beyond his years; a salutary reminder to tell people how you feel about them. #BrianPenn Watch the Movie Trailer:

★★★★ Directed by: Jon Russell Cring, Jack Skyyler, Beth Konrad Brown Written by: Beth Konrad Brown, Jon Russell Cring, Tracy Nichole Cring and Jack Skyyler Starring: Michael T. Geary, Megan Phelps, Charlie Way Hayes Film Review by: Annie Bennett Resistance, an excellent sci-fi/horror six-minute short by John Russell Cring was made five years before COVID-19, but as we follow the struggles of a young couple trying to resist infection by a mysterious virus, I was both horrified and initially bemused. Cring has over 30 directing credits (including Little Bi Peep and Point Society) and created multi-award-winning Resistance for the 48 hour Film Festival. Although chilling, there’s something simply beautiful about this narrative. Parents to be are deciding which world they want their baby to grow up in. This universal dilemma is distilled into a choice between attempting to protect the child by isolating themselves and resisting change or giving up autonomy and conforming to the now dominant way of life, becoming part of the ‘hive’ mind. Despite being a horror short (and an insect-borne virus that is virtually inescapable is, of course, horrific) the tenderness of the couple’s relationship and the intimacy of their world is touching. Beautifully shot in black and white, Cring presents their simple lives within a simple room. The opening shot of them sleeping then waking up together, holding her pregnancy bump, is tender and made more so by the score dominated by simple, melancholic piano music. There’s no dialogue, only the father’s voice-over who says their baby is ‘our future’. It’s only the gasmasks and boarded-up windows that corrupt their morning bliss. As the father reaches for the mask, she attempts to pull him back to bed, trying to resist reality. Beyond their cell, the effects of this ‘apocalypse’ are horrendous. In a warehouse/hospital, patients are strapped down on iron beds. Initially, the space feels calm, nurses wheel in trolleys and treat patients despite the father telling us ‘vaccination, amputation… quarantine failed’. Obviously, given current events (our global pandemic), these scenes are chilling. Questions regarding our ability to effectively control such viruses are at the forefront of our global scientific, political and civilian ‘hive’ minds. Quickly, the action escalates as virus victims are gunned down or choose to become intentionally infected, rather than resist. Fantastic special effects show victims’ blood turning black, and insect-like growths taking over their bodies. Inside the virus-King and Queen’s inner chamber, a woman sprawled across a banqueting table is being both fed and consumed. When you are part of the ‘hive’, there are no more struggles but no more freedom either. It’s easy to see why some would find this tempting. It’s often easier to conform than resist. The benefits of joining the hive are clear; no more ‘fear’or ‘jealousy’. ‘Violence’ becomes extinct. Yet what is lost, of course, is individuality, freedom and humanity. But those who ‘resist’ live in fear and squalor. It’s clear such an existence is unlikely to remain possible for long. Back in their cell, the couple receive a written invitation to join the hive. In the denouement, they sit side by side on the sofa, gas masks on, contemplating the choice that we all have to make today; to resist or conform. As the father says, ‘whatever we decide, we decide for our baby’. In 2020, the choices we make about our lifestyles, behaviours and individuality vs. conformity will change the future. It’s easy to be lured in by the promise of safety and security but, in reality, the loss of freedom is a price never worth paying. The final piano notes play out, like a singsong nursery rhyme, and a brief blackout allows us time for contemplation until the eerie sounds of insects builds and the credits roll. I urge you, watch Resistance and think hard. Your life may depend upon it…

★★★★ Directed by: Kelvin Richards Written by: Kelvin Richards Starring: Daisie Boyes, Barney Jones, Thea Knight, Alex Smart, Robert H. Wainwright Film Review by: Darren Tilby Times & Measures Movie Review Desperate times call for desperate measures as mother and daughter, Corina (Thea Knight) and Melanie (Daisie Boyes), are left destitute when husband/father, Desmond (Alex Smart), suddenly abandons the family in Kelvin Richards’ feature-length film debut. Part thriller, part socio-political drama (although never as strong as either), Times & Measures can best be placed somewhere between a Ken Loach and a David Fincher film. Corina and her teenage daughter are left broke and on the verge of homelessness when her husband – and sole provider since Corina gave up on her career so Desmond could follow his – ups and leaves unexpectedly, leaving only a note. Desperate for money, Corina begins to sell anything not essential: she sells her sofa, she uses cold water instead of hot where possible, and, most importantly, she downgrades her iPhone to an older model. But the second-hand phone has a little surprise waiting for her: a sim card already lodged inside. It is not long before she starts to receive strange phone calls, and answering could change everything for her. If I were to rate this film on the strength of its actors alone, it would likely be a five-star rating, so good are the two central performances here. I am, of course, talking about the on-screen mother and daughter pairing of Thea Knight and Daisie Boyes; two fantastic leads who carry the entirety of the movie’s emotional weight—and believe me, that is a lot of weight to bear! But that is what they, and writer/director Kevin Richards, do so well in Times & Measures. They have captured the awful nature of real despair. Anyone who has been in such a financially desperate situation knows how god-awful it is; how utterly helpless it makes you feel. Indeed, Richards’ writing is most vigorous when dealing with societal issues, and I found particular interest in his take on women returning to work after having children. The thriller aspect of the film is less well-written, however, as its laboured pace and plot contrivances often failed to hold my interest or, indeed, even engage me in the first place, as was sometimes the case. It is also worth noting that, despite the whole film being shot by a crew of only eight people (including actors) and costing less than £5000 to make, Times & Measures is a brilliantly put-together movie. Superb camerawork from Tim Watchorn – which captures the film’s setting – and a stellar score from Luca Fagagnini, both of which compliment the mood of the movie, completing the experience. Despite its issues with pacing and fairly obvious “twist”, Times & Measures, thanks in large to terrific writing and even better performances, punches well above its weight, and may well be one of the better indie films to deal with social issues that I have seen in quite some time. It is available to watch now on Prime Video, and you should check it out. #DarrenTilby

★★ Directed by: #PhilipBrocklehurst, #JohnathanSkyeO'Brien Written by: #JohnathanWilkins Starring: #EmilyFrance, #JohnathanSkyeO'Brien Film Review by: Darren Tilby COVID-era short films are being released with increased regularity, and it has been interesting to see the creativity displayed by filmmakers, from all over the world, as they strive to work around the restrictions of a world amid a pandemic. But, and I think it is fair to say, more often than not, these restrictions do leave an impression on most films. It is undoubtedly the case here, in Philip Brocklehurst and Johnathan Skye-O’Brien’s end-of-the-world short film, Memories at the End. Filmed during the lockdown, with both actors recording their scenes in separate locations – while being directed via Skype – then sending the footage to Brocklehurst to edit, Memories at the End details the dying moments of a young couple, unable to be together, as the world comes to an end. Starring Emily France and co-director Johnathan Skye-O’Brien in the lead roles of Grace and Reg, two solid performances with, sadly, very little to work with; partly because of weak writing and partly due to COVID restrictions - directing scenes through Skype cannot be straightforward, and actors having no-one to act against or nothing to react to almost always causes issues with delivery. The problems continue with the technical aspects of the film, also. Video quality, while fine during France’s scenes (which take place in a local park), is terrible when O’Brien is onscreen (indoors, in his flat). It is to be expected, of course - the scenes were likely shot on phone cameras or something of the sorts. But here it is unbearable and can be likened to looking at something through smudged glasses for an unforgivable period. Things get a little better with the sound design (although, it has to be said, not by a lot) as the quality certainly is not bad. But there is an overuse of stock sound effects here, used to give the impression of flight and panic going on off-camera. It is a commendable effort, but ultimately, it feels manufactured. There is no denying, however, that Wilkins can zone in on some terrifyingly pertinent themes. And while it is not as perspicacious as it would like to think it is, its opinion on these matters is articulated perfectly well. 2020 has been a weird year, and Memories at the End is yet another casualty of it. But you can see what the filmmakers wanted to achieve, and it is not without its charms, and it is free to watch on YouTube. I believe it is worth seven minutes of your time. And let us be honest, who knows what this year could still bring. We all have felt this year may bring about the end of the world in one way or another. There is still time for that! Whether by viral pandemic, presidential whim or my head exploding after finally agreeing with something Piers Morgan has said, the end of the world has never looked so inviting.

★★★★ Directed by #DeanKapsalis Written by #DeanKapsalis Starring #AzuraSkye #BrycePinkham #AshleyBell Film Review by Hope Madden Life takes unexpected turns, no matter how tirelessly you prepare. Writer/director Dean Kapsalis explores a horrific side of this notion in his confident feature debut, The Swerve. The film nestles into suburbia where Holly (a phenomenal Azura Skye) lays awake, waiting for the alarm. Her face is a mask of resignation and obligation. As the morning rituals rush themselves toward a day at work and school for Holly, her two teenage boys and her husband, Rob (Bryce Pinkham), it’s clear that Holly lives inside herself. In her home she observes and facilitates but is almost never regarded, reached out to. She’s barely even there. The film takes us through one week in Holly’s life. Her sister (Ashley Bell) returns home, stirring resentment and jealousy. Her husband works late. There’s a prescription bottle. There’s a mouse. There’s a boy at school, another boy on the highway. Some of this is likely imagined. All of it is leading somewhere, and as inevitable as that destination is, it will still hit you right in the gut. The Swerve busies itself with too many catalysts. The film could have benefitted from slightly less. But there is no escaping Skye’s performance. As a woman on the verge, her delicate state, the way she fights against her own tendency to submit to misery, is devastating. Skye is not alone. Pinkham is excellent in a role that too often is a throwaway, one dimensional bastard. The likeable authenticity he brings to the performance makes the character and the situations so much more frustrating. Likewise, Bell and Zach Rand (The Woman) bring life and complexity to their roles as well as Holly’s dilemma. In its most authentic moments, the tension the film generates is almost unbearable. As small mistreatments build, Skye’s posture and dead-eyed stare say everything you need to know about Holly’s whole life. Skye delivers half of her stunning performance without a single word. Kapsalis’s understatement as a director capitalizes on Skye’s still, unnerving descent. Together they deliver a climax that will haunt you. #HopeMadden

★★★★ Directed by: #AnthonyGreyley Written by: #HarrisonWall Starring: #DarkoBaric, #ThomasFlynn, #VictoriaEne, #KristinaEpenetos, #GeorginaFairbanks Short Film Review by: #TomWilmot Dubs marks the directorial debut of Anthony Greyley, and what an impressive first outing it proves to be. The 35-minute short showcases excellent low-budget filmmaking through some gorgeous visuals and perfectly executed special effects. Throw in an engrossing sci-fi concept and top-notch performances, and you have a recipe for a thoroughly enjoyable short film. The plot focuses on the relationship between Ollie (Darko Baric) and Justin (Thomas Flynn). The couple decides to enrol in the ‘dubbing’ programme, in which a clone of Justin will be produced for them to take care of for four weeks. While initially excited at the prospect, Ollie soon becomes uncomfortable with Justin’s copy, Kid (also Flynn), which spells trouble for the relationship and leads to some life-changing revelations. The film follows a non-linear narrative that includes flashbacks to a pre-Kid time in the couple’s relationship. Not only does this structure help steady the pacing of Dubs, but it also allows for subtle character development by comparing the couple before and after Justin’s dubbing. Satisfyingly, all these flashback scenes serve a greater purpose in the overall narrative and lead to some emotional call-backs during the film’s climax. Dubs boasts impressive visuals throughout, with warm lighting and intimate camerawork giving the film a distinct style. The most striking visuals are those in Ollie’s ominous game room, in which he appears to be steeped in a void of nothingness with only a luminous board for company. Cinematographer Jack Harrison composes shots that help to inform the emotional quality of several scenes through the transition between warm and cold lighting. What’s more, the film has some extremely impressive visual effects for its budget, with Kid appearing alongside Justin seamlessly through a mixture of clever camerawork and digital trickery. For all its impressive visuals though, Dubs simply would not work were it not for the two excellent lead performances. Right from the first scene, Baric and Flynn appear to be so natural in front of the camera and share a chemistry that is vital to selling their on-screen relationship. There’s never a moment where you doubt that you’re watching real people, which goes lengths to getting you fully invested in their story. However, the lead performances are made all the more astonishing considering that all of the dialogue is improvised. The success garnered from this creative process is a testament to the excellent editing job done in post-production as well as the improvisation capabilities displayed by the actors. It’s a bold production choice that deserves to be praised, especially considering how meticulously planned out the final film appears to be. The only area in which Dubs falters is with the lack of depth in its story. Ollie is very much the heart and soul of the film, and while his journey raises questions regarding finding your place in the world and struggling with your identity, these issues are only explored at the surface level. The case is the same for the nagging ethical questions surrounding ‘dubbing’, which are only briefly raised without too much exploration, despite it being one of the more interesting aspects of the film. With Dubs, Anthony Greyley has laid down an impressive first mark in his directorial career, as the film’s distinct visual style and flawless special effects show just how effective he can be on a tight budget. Despite the lack of exploration into some of it’s more interesting themes, the frankly excellent performances and clean, purposeful visuals mean that the short is an engaging and entertaining watch.

★★★ Stars Directed by: #NicolaRose Written by: #NicolaRose Starring: #NatalieKeating, #RandMcAvoy, #ValeriyaKorennaya Film Review by: Alicia Moore In the Land of Moonstones is an award winning short film depicting the travels of a young girl (Natalie Keating) as she looks back on her first love, Boris (Rand McAvoy,) as well as her close friendship with her interestingly elegant grandmother (Valeriya Korennaya.) The writing of this film, by Nicola Rose, is simply beautiful. Each line has a poetic ring to it and, in this way, the words truly bring the story to life. There is a lot of meaning in the presentation of this short and the core of it is placed within the script, rather than how the script is carried out through acting methods. I adore writing that sticks in your mind, words that grasp onto your heart when you least expect it; Rose’s writing undoubtedly ties a soft, gentle ribbon around the hearts of viewers. In between scenes of the actors in character, there are snippets of brightly coloured cartoons that portray the unfolding scene in a different medium. These cartoons, by Jennifer Himes, can be seen to represent something a lot deeper than what meets the eye. After delving into interviews surrounding this film, I found that Rose stated: “I wanted to make a moment about the incredibly awkward, super-intense moment right between childhood and adolescence.” A bolt of realisation immediately struck through my body after processing that information. The frames that are completely filled by the cast embody that particular side of entering adolescence, whereas the cartoons easily connect to the childhood they are about to leave behind. This was a wonderful aspect to suddenly become aware of! The acting itself from each cast member is seamless, the connections seen between the characters are raw and perfectly suited for the story. Young actors Natalie Keating and Rand McAvoy are absolutely spectacular; their onscreen presence is incredible and the atmosphere surrounding them shows just how well they are both able to delve into the created mindset of their character. I love the vibrancy within the relationship of Keating’s character and her grandmother, played by Korennaya. Their bond appears natural, something entirely uplifting and peaceful. The friendship creates a captivating contrast to the somewhat cracked relationship the audience follows with the two younger characters. In the Land of Moonstones is definitely a must-watch short film for a wide range of age groups – it has the capacity to resonate with an older generation of individuals, letting them revisit that particular messy stage in their life, as well as resonating with a younger generation who can presently see themselves in the characters.