★★★★ Directed by #NicolasDavenel #VanessaDumont Starring #AlainDemaria Film review by Nathanial Eker For every Tiger King and Fyre Festival that focus on bold, eccentric caricatures, there's a low-key slice of life story like Le Grand Saut (The Big Jump), which revels in the normalcy of the everyman. In spite of one perilous hobby, Alain Demaria is one such everyman. In just twelve minutes this sensational short gives us an extensive impression of who this man is and why he engages in such reckless behaviour. The combination of impactful testimonials and sharp cinematography and editing makes for a thoughtful documentary that highlights the struggles of harsh upbringings and the French working class more generally. Alain Demaria defies warnings of danger and regularly jumps into the waters of Marseille from a great height. In fact, he regularly dives in head first, with his fists poised to smash the sea below him. Over the course of just over twelve minutes, he recounts the hardships of his life, including run-ins with the law, as well as his dreams and aspirations. Humanity never ceases to surprise, and Demaria's descriptive account of his desire to jump as an almost religious experience is fascinating. He acknowledges the danger, but almost seems to view it as a penance of sorts. It seems to be something that he does, not just for the thrill, but to remove himself from his worries, even for a second. Indeed, the film emphasises the freedom of the jump by showing footage of other working class boys underneath Demaria's narration. This gives the action of diving an ethereal quality, not unlike a pilgrimage to a sacred spot; a place where these boys feel utterly themselves and perhaps ironically, utterly safe. Of course, Demaria's fabled jump is anything but safe, something emphasised by intense close ups of crashing waves, often incorporating slow motion and quick cuts that leave the fate of the jumper ambiguous. There is no sensationalism, however; the film takes honesty as its modus operandi, not just in the portrayal of the rough waves of Marseille, but in conversations with Demaria who openly admits his troubled past. What Le Grand Saut really presents is the common man looking for a way out. He dreams of a villa with its own diving spot, of a family, a wife. He takes pride in his occupation, his rejection of modern technology, and his love life. The jump then, while symbolic of his volatile past starts to become less important, as what is revealed is an intimately personal film about the most human struggles. Demaria never requests our pity, in fact, he seems to take most things in his stride with a characteristic French cheekiness. What he earns by the end of this short journey, however, is both our respect and our hope. #NathanialEker

★★★ Directed by #CristianoNeila Written by #CristianoNeila, #AndreaSantoro Starring #MarioDeLillo, #AlteaHernandez, Film Review by Lawrence Bennie Writer-director Cristiano Neila’s Grabadora Sound is a brisk 7- minute cruise through the world of music production. In 2019, it was an entry at the Rome Independent Film Festival. A musician (Mario De Lillo) ventures out at night, microphone in hand, listening closely for inspiration to complete his latest production. The next day, a young girl (Altea Hernandez), selling second-hand goods, is given back a bullhorn by an uninterested shopkeeper. Given the short running time, De Lillio and Hernandez have a tight slot to craft their characters. Unfortunately, they are held back by the script, which makes little effort in the way of characterisation. No risks are set, little empathy is established and, consequently, we are largely unmoved by the story’s resolution. Some more attention to character certainly would have helped in producing a more involving and rewarding story. Where Grabadora Sound does hit higher notes is in its production values. The film looks great and it’s here where Neila does shine; the filmmaking quality is certainly of feature calibre. And yet, it is here where the film screams for some creativity. Neila’s easily most arresting moment is his opening. The camera focuses on a close-up of De Lillio, illuminated in neon blue, sitting in his car listening to the fragments of sound as they shatter the silence of the early hours. We hear footsteps, the clang of some metal and feel perhaps we’re about to be drawn into a type of surveillance thriller, something in the mould of Rear Window or The Conversation. We then see who is making the noise, this time a dash of darkened red filling the bottom half of the screen. A Vangelis-like synthesiser soundtrack begins, and Neila cuts to a medium shot of Hernandez, high above the blurry, suburban rooftops gazing out into the night. It’s a promising beginning and a pity that nothing else really comes from the potential shown in Neila’s first minute. Frustratingly, the themes are there. For all the technology that De Lillio has at his hands, he needs that essential human ingredient to make the final connection in his music. Hernandez has her talent but is trapped in a dead end as “the most beautiful junkyard in the neighbourhood”. However, the lacklustre script doesn’t realise these enough and, instead, an average story is left to play out with little momentum. Neila’s ending is also a little clumsy. Do the two characters already know each other? If not, is Hernandez aware of who he is? It’s a carelessness that is representative of the film as a whole. Ultimately, it’s not the sounds, or story, that make Grabadora Sound. Neila’s film visually gleams, yet undersells itself. We just feel that something more should have come from this one. #LawrenceBennie

★★★★ Directed by: #CésarAréchiga Written by: #CésarAréchiga & #ClementinaMantellini Documentary Review by Taryll Baker Selected for the ‘We Are One’ Global Film Festival In a maximum-security prison just outside of Guadalajara, Mexico, the contemporary painter César Aréchiga initiates an ambitious plastic arts project with the help of fifteen inmates: a hands-on installation that recreates his living room and studio. As the group immerses themselves in the tactile processes of clay modelling, sculpting, and painting, the collaboration opens up space for deeper dialogues—and over the course of their work, the inmates open up about their backgrounds, share their personal experiences with the world of drug trafficking, and debate whether or not prison aims to truly rehabilitate the incarcerated. 45 Days in Jarbar (or 45 días en Jarbar) is one of those documentaries that click very easily. From the opening minutes, showing the production of paper, to the final moments where we’re given time to reflect on the stories we’ve heard and paintings we’ve seen. It’s a peaceful and somewhat tranquil journey. Art created with heart. Though it’s short in length, 45 Days in Jarbar manages to capture a lot. Suppressed emotion finally being released onto a canvas, a model, a sculpt. But it doesn’t forget to investigate the inmates. We get to see the inmates as humans. Humans that have made regretful decisions that landed them inside. The fifteen people chosen for this workshop all bond with artist and director Aréchiga, and reveal their stories. One in particular is quite shocking; a simple moment fuelled by anger cost him a lot of time. Whatever he was planning to do with his life, is gone. But the film doesn’t dwell on these dark pasts, instead it focuses on making bonds through art, and showing that deep down, some people aren’t forever corrupted by their poor choices. This is something some viewers might not agree with — they don’t like to feel a connection with a convicted criminal. It’s understandable, but sometimes it’s not so clear-cut. Aréchiga spends time on each individuals’ stories, and whilst peeling back the layers of their history, gives something for their minds to focus on and care for. With its linear structure, we get to see evolution. As the days tick by, the inmates begin to connect with each other, and by the end, there’s some sense of bittersweetness. Cinematographer Claudia Becerril Bulos chooses to capture the faces of the individuals whilst working on their art. We see them learning, growing, and subtly shedding emotion, all through their expressions. It’s not until the end that we see the full pieces everyone was working on. Sections of the documentary are intercut with music being played on the piano in the workshop, panning through, glancing at each piece of work as they’re being finalised. Some closing moments with Aréchiga, alone in his studio at home, give the film the kind of poignant end it needed. The inmates left in their cells; Most will have forgotten them, but he’ll remember. #TaryllBaker

★★★★ Directed by: Dekel Berenson Written by: #DekelBerenson Starring: #SvetlanaBarandich, #AnastasiaVyazovskaya, #EricRGilliatt Film Review by: #PhilipGiordano Anna Movie Review A heartbreaking short film by Dekel Berenson Dekel Berenson makes the type of short film many aspiring #filmmakers dream of. A highly successful short that is unique, captivating, heartbreaking, and deeply effective. This Cannes short tells the story of Anna, an aging single middle-aged woman working in a meatpacking plant in war-torn Eastern Ukraine. Lured by a radio advertisement, she goes to party with a group of American men who are touring the country, searching for love. Spoiler: she’s not going to find it there. For me, everything is perfect in this film. From the subtlety to the effectiveness of the shooting and storytelling to the acting and soundtrack. This is a highly-skilled director. The opening shot is the inside of a meatpacking plant, where Anna works, which is ironic because she will end up at an awful party with foreign men who will ogle her and see her only as a piece of meat. They say they’re looking for a wife, but are completely devoid of any romance or desire for human connection. When I was watching this short I was fascinated by the topic and so grateful for such an expert depiction of this world. It has the fascination of an outsider and the authenticity of a local. Much of director Dekel Berenson’s inspiration comes from years spent travelling: "I became a digital nomad in 2006 before it was a 'thing'. I travelled to 60 or 70 countries. Wherever I went, I took courses. I did a skipper course in Spain, mountaineering in the Himalayas, a North Pole expedition…All my films are inspired by the places I've been to and the people I've met. I spent one month in Ukraine in 2012, while travelling across Europe in a van, which is when I learned about the parties depicted in Anna.” He continues about the parties where single Ukrainian women meet with US men looking to bring home wives to America: “It’s all a charade, there is no true love here. The men, hoping to take advantage of the women's despair and desire to move abroad, try to seduce them with promises of a possible relationship. The women, pretending to be unaware of the obvious scheme, make promises of their own and scam free drinks, expensive dinners, and gifts from the men…So, each side attempts to take advantage of the other and more often than not fails at it but then returns the next evening for more of the same.” If you are looking for a skilfully crafted film with a unique story, this short is for you. It is highly decorated (Cannes, Toronto and 60 other film fests) and features an overwhelmingly tragic performance from the title character Anna, played by the talented Svetlana Barandich. #PhilGiordano

★★★★ Directed by: #BojanBrbora Written by: #BojanBrbora Starring: #JonCampling, #UnaKovac, #HaiLe, #JoHart Film Review By: #AlexandraJames Surprise follows a deadly assassin planning to attack a mysterious redhead, however, the story does not go quite to plan and it is the assassin himself who becomes ambushed. A twist none of us expected! This short film appeared at the London Independent Film Festival 2020 before the festival was unfortunately cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Surprise introduces the audience to an ominous character, his professionalism is next to none as he sweeps the house completely unnoticed and remains light on his feet; dressed in a suave suit with a sleek ponytail, the assassins expertise comes in handy picking his way through locked doors. However, these skills swiftly become inadequate for our killer as he is left startled and unprepared for what he soon discovers… The camera work is seamless. One long take just following the assassin, throwing the audience into the action. At first, it seems as though the short is setting the audience up for a thriller, nevertheless, Surprise twists the narrative and becomes comedic in parts, as it breaks away from the clichéd predator/victim narrative and creates a space to laugh at the characters. This short film acts as a window into a more complicated story. It shows the audience a snippet of a scene which could have been taken from a feature-length film. However, the extra storyline is completely unnecessary as the audience are able to easily comprehend the scenario in just a short space of time: an assassin and a naïve victim soon to be killed. The audience merely has to wait and watch the cat and mouse chase develop. It's interesting incorporating such long takes, as it gives the short that Hitchcock-esque vibe, especially because it is a thriller. Hitchcock was very well known for building the tension within much of his work, creating this ambiguity and leaving the audience waiting for that crucial climactic scene. Surprise runs parallel to this pressure build-up but gives us the shock many of us weren’t expecting! A very successful story with twists and turns as well as harbouring strong performances from each of the characters. This piece has the potential to unfold further and show the audience the events which led to such an unexpected ending. A cleverly written piece which keeps you on your toes, making it a must-see! #AlexandraJames Watch the Movie Trailer

★★★★ Written and directed by #BenedictCohen Starring #KirstenFoster, #JedOHagan Short Film Review by Jack Bottomley In creating a film or another piece of work (like Television, radio or magazines), you are often swallowed up by the story you are helping to tell or relay. Being a part of such a story is exciting and often a remarkable experience. However, it is easy to forget that, among the cast, crews and creators themselves other untold stories exist. These tales may not be of a fierce war between families for an iron throne (or maybe they are, times are tough after all!) or of an alien race fending off militant cruel invaders but what they are is as real as real can be. Rushes is inspired by such stories and with a fresh approach and a human core behind the tech-heavy film industry it reflects, this is a delightful and insightful short. As part of a crew working on a CGI motion capture production, Alice (#KirstenFoster) and David’s (#JedOHagan) past is slowly revealed via the rushes (raw visual/sound footage at the end of a day’s filming) of the project. Presented in a found footage style (a technique that saturated horror for a few years and one I am still a fan of), Rushes is a surprising offering and one that has you hooked by its simple but realistic story of love, regret and life. As the film begins, you initially think you are about to see an interpretive arthouse-style project, as the two cast squawk at each other and stomp into frame in costume. Naturally, it is all a part of the film these characters are working on and as Rushes progresses it shows the reality behind motion capture film work. This reality of funny dotted costumes and odd-looking gestures/sounds is used to delightfully humorous effect at points in the film. As the characters make light of what they are doing and the film - in rather original fashion - takes you behind this increasingly popular way of creating film/TV to show the people underneath the CG dinosaurs! And as these people, stars Kirsten Foster and Jed O’Hagan excel. Hagan is funny and charming as David, whose past feelings begin to surface in-between the takes and time the cast have to talk. While Foster is passionate as Alice, as she thinks on the trouble these old feelings could cause but cannot deny the connections and meaning that the past contains. Both actors are excellent at the front and centre here and their work ensures that Rushes excels dramatically and comedically at times too. The story seems to build, as the “found” rushes footage begins to detail the past between David and Alice and writer/director #BenedictCohen cleverly uses the technologically complex backdrop of this industry to tell a story far less complex but maybe even more pure. The film does seem to rush (so to speak) the ending, as it adds more layers to its narrative device all at once but is still a short film that makes superb use of an idea to cast a stage light onto the people behind the creation of such audio-visual works and - even moreso - their lives, relationships and pasts. #JackBottomley

★★★★★ Directed by: #ChrisEsper Film Review by: Darren Tilby A film of incredibly simple construction, Chris Esper’s short documentary, Yesteryear, consists entirely of home video footage. But it’s with this simplicity that Yesteryear finds its strength. There’s no better way to explore family than with a collection of people’s self-recorded memories, lovingly weaved together in contemplation of life, love and family. We’re taken through many an occasion here, and all the usual life events: birthday celebrations, Christmases, new years, the joy of new life and the pain of a life passing. While it doesn’t sound so different from the plethora of other films out there, it’s the fact that these aren’t actors, they’re real people. We’re getting an intimate look into the lives of other people; a window into their hopes and dreams told through a lifetime of their memories. There’s something profoundly moving about that, and it feels like a genuine privilege. The flow of the movie is almost perfect, and I love the fact the film is non-linear. Esper’s superb editing does wonders in making, what could have been an unfathomable mess, feel not only incisive and accessible but entirely personal to the viewer. It immediately evokes memories of our childhood or, for the older viewer to our children’s youth. When combined with Steven Lanning-Cafaro’s magnificent musical score, it tugs – quite thoroughly – at the heartstrings. There’s a quite brilliance to Yesteryear. It lies within how ordinary, typical, unassuming and almost mundane, it all is. Absolutely anyone watching will, in some way, be able to relate to much of what’s onscreen. We’ve all got home videos like this, and we’ve all had many of the same experiences, too. Little things like this that may seem unimportant, uninteresting, even, are priceless memories to someone. Yesteryear reminds us of this fact. It reminds us that life is more than just what’s happening in the present, it’s also what’s in our past; the events, ordeals and adventures that have shaped who we are. Esper’s movie is a fantastically moving piece of short filmmaking and one of the most fascinating, emotive and wholly poignant documentaries I’ve ever seen. I doubt there’s been a more honest and loving testament about family ever made. Simply stunning.

★★★ Directed by: #AlejandroRíos Short Film review by: Brian Penn A feline view of the world is explored in this curiosity from Mexico. How does one of nature’s great roamers become emotionally dependent on a human owner? A weather beaten street cat is befriended by an elderly man seemingly trapped in solitude. He reaches for a teacup; a matching piece remains on the shelf. An evocative melody plays on a gramophone as he drifts off to another place. Bereft of human companionship the man now finds kin amongst a clutter of cats. They return for nourishment and affection but only while it suits. One particular cat has an unusual reason for a swift return to its benefactor. We get a cat's eye view of life as shapes change to represent symbols of survival and sustenance. An animated feature without spoken narrative naturally places emphasis on strong visual images. It draws the sharpest of contours with a traditional approach to animation that becomes a refreshing antidote to the sterile perfection of Pixar Studios. A limited budget gives the film a certain edge; much like a rough cut or rushes in post-production. The earthiness of Watership Down readily springs to mind as a more natural hue takes centre stage. The story begins to unwrap as the viewer is gently lulled into a false sense of security. The serenity of an elderly man finding comfort suddenly turns very dark. The film delivers an unexpected twist in what initially appears to be a standard tale of man and beast in perfect harmony. An inventive, well-constructed piece could really have used another five minutes just to properly tie up the narrative. Even so, this is a strong and haunting film with visuals that endure in the memory.

★★★★ Directed by #JoanCGratz Starring: #ChrisHinton #PaulDriessen #DennisTupicoff #JoanCGratz #JanetPerlman #TheodoreUsheu #MarvNewland #JimBlashfield #BillPlympton #DianeObomsawin #ChelWhite Film review by Nathanial Eker In a time when we're ruled by our internet history, there seems little need for the traditional memoir. However, the simplicity and intimacy of a personal slice of life is something not to take for granted. The One Minute Memoir, a collection of eleven short films based on a collection of artist's lives in a variety of styles, is a joy to view. While some inevitably lack the context to be properly understood, each film offers something unique, something intimate, and something enjoyable. Inevitably, some fare better than others. Diane Obomsawin's still expression of the highs and lows of childhood hits incredibly hard, in no small part due to the delightfully sombre narration, which perfectly captures the hurt of growing up with personal hardships. The poetry of the dialogue in Transatlantic is honest and touching; 'we learned all about the joy of departure, and the sadness of being apart'. Such simple words, yet they strike with ferocity when paired with the intimate details of the 'salty taste of the railings'; another exceptional detail that only the most personal account could provide. There are a number of 'conventional narratives' that reflect on the artist's life, often culminating in their journey to becoming filmmakers. A True Story and Dreams of a Fallen Astronaut, for example, both highlight the creator's love of artistic expression, albeit with vastly different tones. Places Where I Ate demonstrates a broader look at the artist's life, albeit with a far simpler framing device that crates a film that charms as much as it informs. Of course, there are also more surreal ventures that venture into the world of the avant-garde, like My Films Have a Spiritual Quality I Must Resist, which substitutes dialogue for moving imagery laced with commentary, both political and trivial. The River - while traditional in some senses - momentarily nosedives into a world of surrealist imagery as it channels the moment where the artist realises how crazy our world truly is. It's these deeply personal insights that makes this collection such a success; everything feels honest. Even films that would require hours of analysis to properly understand like Substation 9 undeniably produce a unique vision, untempered by expectation or directorial restraint. It seems that the brief was as vast or tiny as each creator wanted it to be, leading to a beautifully well-varied collection of shorts. If there is one qualm, it's that the film order seems to follow little rhyme or reason. The varied approach to the subject matter makes it feel like it could've been ordered in a way that culminated in a thematic crescendo, but it ultimately just ends without much fanfare. Then again, many of these films are accounts or real life, and that's kind of how real life is. Overall, The One-Minute Memoir is a fine collection of short films, bound by a strong thematic undercurrent and wonderfully honest testimonials of how dreadful and wonderful life can be. #NathanialEker #WeAreOne

Star Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ Directed by: #ChrisDainty Written by: #ChrisDainty Starring: #ShannonJamieson Short Film Review by: Thomas Jay A harrowing tale of an individuals struggle with identity as a whole, Shannon Amen is a short that juggles various forms of animation, spliced in with love action footage to tell the tragic tale of artist Shannon Jamieson, put to film by friend Chris Dainty. A true example of film being an art form, I never expected a short film of all things to communicate such a narrative for one, but to also have such an intricate visual manner on what I can only imagine to be a small budget. A genuine, sensitive and brace telling of an individuals life tale, this “fish story” as it’s constantly referred to is something that can be applied to many an individual globally. Starting firstly on the style, the team behind this did an incredible job. Scored for the majority by Jamieson’s own music save from the brief use of a Michael Bublé song, you get from her vocals, a sense of the person. It’s made very clear she’s an artist/creative and the recreation of her as an individual feels so vivid, that notion is further built on from the inclusion of her paintings and other works she crafted through her time. As the animation gives her character a glamorous and lively feel, the love action, “archive footage” for lack of a better term truly anchors her to the film and makes it feel like every second is dedicated to her memory from those who knew her personally. As for blending formats, I haven’t seen such flexibility of style outside of a few small time, indie video games that mix up their play style to keep things fresh. Similarly, the film’s multi-faceted visuals offer a very unique experience and a tonne of different meanings. The ice sculpture is a damning of religion as the church and all its iconography slowly ebbs away at the model. The 2D model being the stripped down version of the individual, the tree at the finale being in a way, this film as a whole, something that’s grown from tragedy and is in every way, still very much that person who’s no longer around. Willing to take off the gloves and not pull any punches, the depiction of faith and how it’s clutches have a lasting, sometimes devastating impact was a true kick in the teeth. It channelled such a personal fury and had this scathing point to make. Which leads to the main attraction of this film as a short, put aside all the visual beauty for just a minute, and truly appreciate the personality of this film and it’s argument it puts forth. Though change by these institutions is unlikely, it’s very evident in this piece how such concepts have managed to outlast time whilst simultaneously dragging their heels and refusing to adapt. A brutal watch yes, I’ll grant that but the substance underneath the art is so rich and leaves overall a portrait of a woman that rivals any great, traditional piece of art, warts and all you get an amazing sense of who exactly Shannon was as a person. Yet another fantastic short film showcased at the We Are One festival.

★★ Directed by: #TerrellLamont Written by: Terrell Lamont Starring: #HollyWestwood, #HalWhiteside, #MatthewJPlumb Short Film Review by: Corey Bulloch Though starting strong with a crimson soaked atmosphere and unsettling score from Chanin Russo, Ava loses all intrigue and gravitas with its laborious pacing. Writer-director Terrell Lamont tells the story of the titular character, abducted, isolated and experimented by a peculiar scientist as strange creatures and haunting memories torment her. The bulk of the film is Ava attempting to unravel the truth to her captivity with Lamont attempting to build suspense with questions to Ava’s own sanity. Not just through the visuals that the torture creates but in conversations Ava has with an unseen cellmate, Ava has pads attached to her temples and it's clear that whatever experiment she is unwillingly part of is psychological. Even as Lamont slowly reveals the truth to the facility and the captor, there is still an air of uncertainty to what we may be seeing but it lacks a compelling escalation, even with the main character desperate for answers and escape. Tonally Ava feels akin to a Black Mirror episode on a b-movie budget with similarities to episodes “The Entire History of You” and “White Bear” in its plot and themes. The other issue is that there isn’t enough story to justify its 90-minute runtime, with large swaths of the film dragging along. The tension and atmosphere Lamont can initially create is completely deflated by the third act as the banal revelations are padded out. Though the combination of B-Movie aesthetic with character drama has its positives with Holly Westwood’s strong lead performance. Her character overcomes obstacle after obstacle while wrestling with her damaged psyche, Westwood easily keeps her most dramatic moments remaining grounded among all the science fiction. Though Hal Whiteside’s performance as the captor is let down by the script’s use of self-referential classic movie quotes and physical appearance as a classic mad scientist. While Ava drags along there are positives in its presentation as Lamont’s cinematography combined with Heather Webb’s production design is another example of how the film combines gritty sci-fi with the more outlandish elements with great results. When the film is soaked in red, the character is subjected to the mercy of mysterious creatures and assailants, fear and trauma in constant conflict. Lamont wants to build this mystery to the world and meaning however the law of diminishing returns quickly set in. Ava’s spends the runtime in white medical underwear, highlighting her vulnerability but also addressing how women are physically presented in science fiction. To the captor she is merely an object being dehumanised, not a person but a plaything, forcing this character to fight back for her agency and identity. Battling against tropes and exploring grief, fear and motherhood, Ava has plenty of interesting visuals and ideas at its disposal. Not all of them work in harmony but the main issue is that Lamont is unable to balance this out in an engrossing feature narrative. The film readily loses steam with most of the latter half feels like you’re just watching Westwood slowly crawl on the floor, taking her time to get to the now underwhelming conclusion. Lamont’s vision has promise but seems more suited for a more refined, focused and shorter story. #CoreyBulloch #Indiefilm

Star Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑ Directed by: #RodolpheSaintGelais & #PascalBlanchet Written by: #SylvainCharbonneau Starring: #AlareyAlsip Short Film Review by: Thomas Jay From this point forth using its English translated title of The Procession, this 11 minute short film, co produced by France and Canada, sees the now deceased Catherine (Alarey Alsip) speak from beyond the grave to her husband, Phillip, who’s enduring the presence of his family at his wife’s wake. A hyper stylised animated feature which in some ways resembles the successful Archer (2009-Present) series, this singular monologue of Catherine was fantastically delivered and really haunting, the delivery of Alsip was chilling and contrasted perfectly with this stunningly clean animation style, creating this overbearingly cold atmosphere that captures you from the get go. Framed as a pseudo mystery, the monologue is part pouring of emotions and the other half dedicated to solving the cause of her death, the unravelling of the story was surprisingly compelling given its true runtime of under ten minutes. Though no other supporting characters speak save from a sigh by Phillip, the Supporting cast is well depicted, consisting of Catherine’s father-in-law who seems to be extremely caring towards her, though she gets only a few frames Phillip’s sister is clearly devastated by the loss while the disapproving mother is suspicious of the death as a whole, questioning whether our posthumous lead was under the influence while on her drive. Painting these elegant, retrograde portraits of what are essentially living mannequins I could wax lyrical all day about the stunning visuals of this short film, evoking comic book style visuals the somewhat neo-noir style further drives home the elements of grief it explores and its varying manifestations. With somewhat of a twist ending, or more accurately a reveal that quells the suspicion of the viewers and the other characters, I personally vouch for it being a rather satisfying closure though it is hotly contested amongst people who’ve seen this piece, I found it was another chance for this film to flex its exceptional style and was certainly welcomed, a sentiment I’d Also apply to the music used in this short. Though tonally it might appear to some as conflicting, the use of Shirley Bassey’s rendition of Don’t take the Lover’s from the World seemed pretty much perfect. Giving the film a pulse in terms of atmosphere so it isn’t entirely a landslide of misery, it opened the film well and seemed to fit the character arc as a whole, communicating Catherine’s treasuring of her marriage as well as offering a line of hope for Phillip in the future. This emotionally dense and visually stunning short film was a pleasure to watch and at this point (though it is admittedly rather early) is a standout from the We Are One film festival and one I’d highly recommend, seep your eyes in the beauty of this short film. Reviewed by: #TomJay