★★★★ Directed by: #CayetanoGonzalez Written by: #CayetanoGonzalez Starring: #AdelIudina Film Review by: Patrick Foley A curious, chaotic montage of a life, and a story of self-acceptance, Adel is a short artistic endeavour from director Cayetano Gonzalez which represents a young woman’s journey to find herself in a confusing world. The film is a mixture of self-shot footage from star and subject Adel Iudina and fantastical and symbolic imagery conjured by the director – resulting in an impactful and emotional visual experience which is self-reflective and forward thinking. Adel’s life – from the daughter of a Russian immigrant to a confident fashion model is covered innovatively – Iudina herself playing the role of her own mother, and the intensely personal and fearless representation on show gives the viewer an unshakeable connection with the film’s subject. Gonzalez’ direction is striking, with some outstanding shots and visuals which mix the personal and the ultra-produced successfully to represent the contrasting themes of Adel’s life in front of a camera. Personal, shaky-cam close-ups of Adel’s mother riding the bus, or self-shot footage of Adel in hotel rooms cover her personal life and bring the audience into her world. The deliberate artistic shots, which use somewhat indulgent metaphorical imagery and fixed, professional camera angles keep the audience at arms-length, and represent the often-isolating side of life in the fashion industry. Didi Anderson provides the voice of Adel, bringing a passionate and sensual voiceover to the film. The director’s intertwining of her words with the images on screen is cutting and emphasises the personality behind the person. The script of the voiceover itself is elevated by its delivery, and at times strays into self-indulgent territory. In an attempt to strip away boundaries and allow us into every facet of Adel’s world, it trips up by relying on cliches and buzzwords which end up coming across as cringy, and at times out of synch with what the aim of the film appears to be. For example, Adel acknowledges her white privilege whilst cracking an egg on screen – which comes across as her arrogantly deeming herself to be rid of it. This would contrast with the rest of her personality that is portrayed and is presumably not the director’s intention. Whilst ambiguity is largely used very effectively, the script does stumble at times such as in this incident, and the quality of the delivery alone cannot prevent it. Beyond this the bohemian style of the piece is firmly targeted to a receptive audience who embrace the whimsical and non-conformist arts. Less inclined viewers may find themselves missing the film’s meanings or rejecting them entirely. However, one gets the sense from the creators that they could not care less – and this fearlessness stems from the film’s heart. Openness to rejection is a part of Adel’s journey, the film’s similar refusal to compromise for those who do not wish to understand it is admirable rather than arrogant.

★★★ Directed by #JoeRaffa Written by #GregFinley #JoeRaffa Starring #GregFinley #DylanSilver Film Review by Rachel Willis Coastal Maine is beautiful country, but there is a seedy underbelly of drugs, gambling, and crime that’s explored in director Joe Raffa’s film, Downeast. Refining a story written by native Maine resident Greg Finley, Raffa’s focus is on a lobsterman named Tommy (Finley). Following a life-changing incident in which he ran afoul of area mobsters, Tommy tries to live with his head down, following his own moral code. The return of his ex, Emma (Dylan Silver), reopens old wounds. The ‘townies’ are wary of Emma, whose questions threaten the tenuous balance the mob holds over the residents. Even Tommy’s loyalty lies with the town over his budding relationship. There aren’t many new stories to tell, and if this one sounds familiar, that’s because it is. However, the film boasts compelling characters and wonderful attention to detail that help keep us invested. From a technical standpoint, this is a well-made movie. Edwin Pendleton Stevens’s cinematography juxtaposes the coastal vacation town against a gritty, cold world that feels lifeless when summer ends. The empty winter boardwalk seems sinister compared to scenes of a beach crowded with summer tourists. The actors inhabit their roles so organically that often you feel like you’re sitting with them in the local watering hole. Finley is at home with his character, but the others alongside him are just as natural. The only one who stands out as different is Silver, but it works because Emma is an outsider to this world—she talks tough like the rest of them, but she isn’t one of them, and her worldview doesn’t align with the townies. The film’s biggest issue lies with the characters’ motivations. While things seem straightforward in the beginning, they take a turn toward the unusual. Characters’ decisions make zero sense given what we know of them. Even the background players behave strangely. Plotlines resolve in head-scratching ways. It all detracts from the strong chemistry the actors create as members of a close, if tenuous, community. There is a lot crowded into the plot, so some characters are shallow compared to others. The mobsters are one-dimensional villains, and while a case could be made that’s the truth in real life, it doesn’t make for compelling storytelling. Downeast shows how important a strong screenplay is because, without it, you’re left with a beautiful, forgettable film. #RachelWillis

★★★★ Directed by: #BenSouth Written by: #AMKhalifa Starring: #ShaqBGrant, #LauraHanna Short Film Review by: Emily Davison Outside a remote hotel in England, Herbert (Grant) and Jacinda (Hanna) are meeting for the first time with a mission to kill the woman in Room 29, but not everything is as it seems and the truth is gradually revealed in this mindboggling thriller. The ARK (2021) is a short science fiction which has been shortlisted for the Official Selection at the 2021 LA Shorts International Film Festival and premiered July 8th. The film is an adaption of the short story Virus by A.M. Khalifa and was shot on location in the UK, grounding the audience in a gritty, lived in dystopian world, whilst exploring contemporary themes of construed power and fanaticism. From the get go, the film exuberates confident ambition and unbridled creativity with its intelligent screenplay and enthralling camerawork. The entire production feels like a big budget British sci-fi flick with sweeping aerial shots of the dark streets and smooth Steadicam complimenting the realistic setting. There is high attention to detail in conveying the everyday workings of this familiar, yet unpleasant and foreboding world and the screenplay packs in plenty of unpredictable, flawless twists. There are very effective builds up of tension during hotel break in sequences and a final big reveal gives us a much needed cathartic release from the suspense, as well as an entirely new perspective on the enigmatic ARK cult. Although there is a heavy reliance on dialogue with the two leads mostly conversing, both characters feel real and grounded despite us not knowing a lot about them until the big twist at the end. Shaq B. Grant and Laura Hanna deliver solid performances and manage to convey a range of emotions despite the short length of the film and both leave a strong impression by the movie’s final moments. The film arguably works best as a short, self-contained story (although the possibility of a sequel is alluded to by a gripping mid-credit scene), as all of the twists and turns keep viewers on their toes and manage to entertain consistently. The ending leaves us with more questions about the enthralling dystopian world crafted onscreen and compels you to think on the science fiction themes long after the first viewing. Christof Unterberger’s musical score is also fantastic. It manages to aid the tense, atmospheric hotel break in sequences, as well as highlight the melancholic drama of heavy thematic scenes. The score is an essential component in enrichening the cinematic viewing experience of the short. Overall, The ARK is a tense, exciting and thought provoking sci-fi piece with plenty of thrills and intelligent storytelling, helmed by a talented production team and admirable performances from its leads. It poses many questions and leaves it up you to come up with the answers and this must highlight the true strengths of an amazing science fiction story. #EmilyDavison

★★★★ Directed by:#NataschaGraham Written by: #NataschaGraham Starring: #DelaneyBrown Film Review by: Theo Rintoul This 10 minute short relies on a single, static shot of one woman’s monologue about the experiences of being a woman living in a man’s world. She speaks to the camera, telling us directly the difficulties of daily sexual harassment by men towards women, ending the conversation with her striking personal tale of how she dealt with the harassment when it got too much to handle. The muted backdrop and neutral tones leave no room for the audience’s eyes to flick about or be distracted; we must focus on the words spoken. The clean and innocuous set-up allows the sole actor, Delaney Brown, to express herself and her frustration at the experiences she talks about. The themes become stronger against this composition, and Brown’s eye contact with the camera as she conversationally speaks her monologue creates a balance between the casual atmosphere and the seriousness of her words. The monologue did come across as almost too rehearsed at times, although Brown became looser with her tone and movements as the film went on. The static camera also contributed to this stiffer format, almost contrasting too much against the neutral tone and ‘conversational’ feel of the casual sitting-room set-up, which wasn’t helped by the rehearsed monologue. The balance was there between serious theme and informal scene, but the balance of language and scene did not match. However, this is a very nit-picky point to make; the director Natascha Graham has written a great piece of work and that is the focus of this film. The simplicity of Confessions: The Hours allows for authenticity of character and experience. Every woman can relate to the generalised experiences that Brown’s character speaks, and the final tale is like a realised vision of those same women – what we want to do to make the harassment stop, but instead we must take it. This film knows what it wants to achieve, making for a coherent and direct piece of filmmaking that draws the viewer in and allows for a true connection between spectator and character, before turning the tables and shocking with the final words. It leads you straight to your internet search bar to look up the director and see if there are other Confessions of similar nature. The film may have been even stronger with a less rehearsed tone of voice from Brown to match the colloquial language and casual setting, maybe with some slight camera movement as if the camera were a person to which she was confessing.

★★ Directed by: #PhilipBrocklehurst Written by: #PhilipBrocklehurst Starring: #PMThomas Film Review by: Theo Rintoul Brocklehurst gets straight to the point with the title of his film which he both wrote and directed, creating a narrative about a nameless man (P.M. Thomas) that tries to find company in the trees. If the title didn’t explain the narrative then there would possibly be a lack of understanding of what was playing out on-screen. The entire 4 minutes 40 seconds of film is comprised of shots of the solitary man, silent and expressionless, staring into a group of leafy trees at the side of a road. His voiceover is eerie, as expressionless as his face, explaining in abstract and vague terms that he is lonely. The trees respond by rustling, the camera tracking across the vast green surface from a midshot that doesn’t delve into the flora enough considering the personal subject matter and the character’s desire to connect. The technical restrictions clearly impacted the film, as the shaky phone camera doesn’t explore the trees clearly enough, and the automatic lighting changes due to the phone’s movement acted as a distraction to the shot. Cars were in the background, taking away from the human-nature interpersonal connection happening in the narrative. Although these could be considered ‘technical issues’ or restrictions due to setting and equipment to hand, they do add an effect to the film that can be seen as an addition and not a loss. The sound of trees whistling that accompanies the voiceover is incredibly atmospheric, and the eerie noises coupled with the voice of a lonely man that is clearly in a state of hopelessness creates an atmosphere that is very memorable. The crackling of the audio that is possibly from the phone and not the sound effect actually contributes to the feeling that sucks you in to the man’s despair. The pauses in his speaking are done at time’s that feel right considering the ambience. Whilst on first watch one might not understand exactly what’s going on, the short film does work as an abstract piece of thought-processing between mental solitude and a desire for companionship that cannot be sought out in human beings. Talking to Trees puts the ‘nature’ in human nature, possibly not wanting the viewer to overthink what’s happening on-screen and instead just wanting to show a little insight into loneliness. Some shots were jarring, such as the shaky up and down movement as the cameraman walks along; this distorts the trees, and it’s difficult to decide whether this distortion adds to the oddness or acts as a visual distraction to the story unfolding. This film is impressionable due to the feeling it achieves, but the lack of straightforward understanding as to what’s happening may be its downfall. There is definitely a talent within this film and within the director, but perhaps that talent could not be expanded upon enough in this short amount of time and with technical restrictions that didn’t compliment the story.

★★★★ Directed by: Annalise Lockhart Written by: Annalise Lockhart Starring: Victoria Villier, DeLeon Dallas, Ron Brice Film Review by: Jason Knight Three relatives live in a house in the countryside, while sinister-looking, ghost-like figures are stalking them. A young woman (Villier) is celebrating her birthday with her father (Brice) and brother (Dallas). Her father's present is a document giving her partial ownership of the land. Shortly after, she begins seeing creepy individuals, who keep staring at her. She discovers that both her father and sibling can also see them. Her brother has formulated a plan that involves surrounding the house with electric wires and will hopefully force the mysterious entities to keep a distance from the property. This spooky short mixes horror with science fiction. People inside an isolated building, with nightmarish beings in the woods around them. The atmosphere is rather scary and the plot rather intriguing, with three people who have a sort-of sixth sense that enables them to see the ghosts of the deceased. Arguably, the best thing here are the spirits of the dead. They look terrifying, like zombies. Their faces and clothing are filthy and their eyes glow. They are often surrounded by smoke, they do not speak and are constantly standing still, looking at the living with a threatening stare. They do not do much and they do not have to, because their appearance is more than enough to send shivers down ones spine, thanks to the makeup and costume design. All three protagonists deliver convincing performances as likeable, intelligent individuals who are struggling to deal with their situation. Composer Evan Gitterman's score creates a menacing atmosphere, which goes very well with the scenes. However, at times the music is different and more uplifting and pleasant to the ear. Special mention goes to Michael Barnett, whose special effects look pretty good. Basically, this could be described as a ghost story. Otherworldly entities going after certain individuals, who must find a way to defend themselves. The interesting narrative and the scary figures are enough to make this achievement worthy of attention. #JasonKnight

★★★★ Stars Written and directed by: #ColumEastwood Starring: #AntoniaCampbellHughes, #AmybethMcNulty, #OrlaBrady, #ShashiRami Film Review by: Alicia Moore “Black Medicine follows a black-market doctor who faces a stark choice when her ruthless employers ask her to do something beyond even her skewed moral compass.” Black Medicine is a thriller with a beautifully complex plot when you look deeper into each character’s motives and struggles. The story follows Jo (Antonia Campbell-Hughes) who has turned to using her medical knowledge under the radar as black-market doctor. The death of her daughter caused her to lose her sense of stability due to the fact that she feels responsible, which led to her being struck off. Through her work patching up gangsters, she is brought to Bernadette (Orla Brady) who is ultimately searching for doctors to work off record to help save her daughter, Lucy, through an organ transplant – but as Jo leaves the wealthy home, a young girl (Amybeth McNulty) hides away in her car to escape the group’s captive grasp. Over the course of the film, as Jo is then directly recruited to assist in the surgery, she begins to piece together the true worth of her stowaway and why Bernadette is beyond desperate to get the girl back. Writer and director Colum Eastwood states Black Medicine is a film about grief; one woman running away from it and is afraid to face it, against another woman so afraid that she will do anything, even the most horrific of things, to avoid it. The intertwining perspective of these characters is gracefully written and portrayed. Because of the sharp contrast in reactions to grief, you cannot predict anyone’s next move which adds great suspense, as well as the fact that you are ethically hanging in the balance throughout the film’s duration. It is easy to understand both of these troubled characters, however terrifying one of their decisions might be, but there is no doubt that conflict within yourself will set in at least half way through the unfolding events. The story lays itself out the entire way through the film, meaning that you are piecing together a jigsaw of information from start to finish. I adore that type of approach; it can feel a little slow at times but overall it doesn’t heavily impact the way one can view the plot by the end of the film – it all just adds to the inner conflict viewers like myself may experience as they are fed more information and transferable emotion within every scene. The striking acting talent assists the story in moving along smoothly. Not only are the occurring events written with good focus, the acting of honestly all the cast members is exquisite. Their on screen relationships with one another hold sincerity and their accurate chemistry levels up the suspenseful atmosphere. In particular, I was immediately drawn to Antonia Campbell-Hughes who plays Jo. The amount of emotional turmoil she can show just from her body movements and through her eyes is impeccable. Jo’s stance grows over time as she finds her footing and discovers her own motives within the story and Campbell-Hughes shines a blinding light on this aspect. It is obvious that she has a wonderful understanding of the character because her growth in this way can be seen physically, and even verbally in regards to how she begins to speak to other individuals. Simply incredible work. I want to give a nod to James Everett (composer) as well because… wow. What a score! It builds the most perfect ambience from the very beginning and is superbly suited to the film’s thriller content. A brilliant composer can make a film even more immersive of course, and Everett definitely brought the magic here. Black Medicine presents a spectacular production, something so polished you would never know that the project was built on a low budget. Set and filmed in Belfast, the film brings inspiration and amazement to me as everything is close to home; I am so happy to have had the opportunity to see such talent, dedication and passion right on my doorstep.

★★★★ Written and Directed by: #CarolineSteinbeis Starring: #DeborahFindlay, #MatthewNeedham and #AmandaAbbingdon Short film review by: Brian Penn How much can we say or do in the space of seven minutes. It’s barely long enough to microwave a bowl of soup; certainly nowhere near enough time to explain the red wedding in Game of Thrones. Imagine how difficult that task becomes when you reduce it to six minutes ten seconds? Without the closing titles that is precisely the amount of time given to this charming piece by Caroline Steinbeis. There’s not even the slightest hint of dialogue; apart from Radio 3 providing the soundtrack in this snapshot of suburbia and its more adventurous residents. But what the devil is it all about? The archetypal nosy neighbour is Margaret (Deborah Findlay), who presumably lives alone save for the company of a Golden Retriever. She spies a newly arrived family a couple of doors down. Margaret forensically prepares for the first introduction; carefully applying make-up and strategically adjusting her blouse. She picks up a carefully prepared gift and knocks on her new neighbour’s door. However, the family are gloriously oblivious to Margaret’s efforts. Marie (Amanda Abbington) is giggling on the sofa while Jonas (Matthew Needham) chases son Otto (Otto Steinbeis) with a box on his head. Margaret hears the commotion and wanders to the back of the property with predictable results. The scenario isn’t startling or wildly original but wonderfully executed with a sense of panache. Margaret is a straight laced older woman with the need to brighten a lonely existence. A young family in the neighbourhood arouse curiosity that can’t be controlled. Marie and Jonas are the epitome of a modern couple and a clash of world views is clearly on the horizon. Whilst Amanda Abbington and Matthew Needham are fine in their respective roles its Deborah Findlay that steals the film. Her reactions are a delight as she motors through a range of expressions that barely need a script. We get inquisitive, worried, confused; swiftly followed by shock, outrage and finally relieved amusement. It’s a text book example of how to make an effective short feature; just make sure you don’t blink whilst watching.

★★★★★ Directed by: Cory DeMeyers Written by: Sammy Horowitz Starring: Sammy Horowitz, Jett Jansen Film Review by: Jason Knight Two criminals are in a car, on their way to commit a robbery. While driving, they discuss their plan and homosexuality. A crook named Francis (Horowitz) is driving through the streets of Los Angeles at night. He picks up his associate Danny (Jansen), with whom he intends to do an armed robbery. On their way, they talk about how they are going to do it and Francis tells a story about one of their associates turning out to be gay. When the time comes to carry out their intentions, things turn rather dramatic. This amusing gangster dark comedy has lawbreakers, guns, shootings, murder, double-crossing, profanity and with its clever dialogue it could easily be a Tarantino film. Right from the start, with the opening credits it is clear that the audience is entering a sinister story. The film begins with a montage of guns and bullets and fearsome music that creates a feeling of dread. This sequence leaves no doubt that this is going to be a journey into the criminal underworld. The majority of the narrative takes place while the two outlaws are making their way to their location and focuses on the conversation they have during that time. As mentioned, they go through their plan and as Francis tells his story, they end up having an argument about homosexuals, which is comical considering that they are about to commit armed robbery. Horowitz is very convincing as a dangerous criminal with a no-nonsense attitude. Jansen, on the other hand, comes across as less menacing and appears to be less confident about the crime the two of them are about to commit. Shot on location in L.A., over a period of four and a half hours, this short is very well made, with wonderful cinematography by Deangelo Harding. There are terrific establishing shots of Los Angeles and during many shots the camera is mounted on the car hood, filming the actors through the windscreen and it is a technique that works very well. The dramatic score creates an ominous and menacing atmosphere, adding significant value to the film. This achievement is a rather interesting viewing and pays homage to the gangster genre and neo-noir films. The plot is intriguing, the dialogue well-written, the use of lighting rather creative and the performances are great, making this short a must-see. #JasonKnight Trailer for Danny Boy:

★★★★ Directed by: #EleannaSantorinaiou Written by: #EleannaSantorinaiou Starring: #TogoIgawa, #BabyLauraAurora Film Review by: Isabelle Ryan In his poem ‘Born Yesterday’, Philip Larkin puts forward his wish that a newborn should grow up to be ‘ordinary’ and ‘dull’. This, he thinks, may give her the greatest chance at happiness. Eleanna Santorinaiou’s spoken-word short film Baby – A Poem, in contrast, presents a speaker with a much more hopeful, idealistic wish for a baby’s future, while maintaining grounded, realistic expectations. Here, the narrator is certain that no matter what – and despite the challenges they will surely face – in the end, they will make a difference. Togo Igawa narrates the piece. His delivery is powerful and optimistic, but the words of the poem belie the speaker’s tone. He hopes for the best, of course, but he is already prepared for the worst, acknowledging the difficulties the baby will inevitably face, that they will make enemies as well as friends, and at times may have to “run until […] you feel free or safe.” These practically ominous moments make the film’s overall optimism far more affecting, recognising that the baby will face challenges, and may even grow up to be ‘exploited’, but refusing to be consumed with dread. Currently, the baby is untouched and innocent, and the speaker has a sense of wonder that no matter what comes next – whatever choices or discoveries are made – this is a new beginning. Throughout, we see fleeting images of the newborn’s tiny feet and hands, as well as family gatherings, idyllic countryside and industrial cityscapes, this latter captured in London by director of photography Yury Sharov. There are moments of aching beauty and joy shoulder to shoulder with shots of a waterlogged car, cranes and building sites. It creates a feeling of universality. The message of Santorinaiou’s poem applies to all newborns, regardless of where their lives begin. Additionally, Fanis Zachopoulos’ score at times fights for dominance over diagetic sounds of birdsong, traffic passing, wind and laughter, paradoxically grounding the film while also producing the atmosphere of a memory or a dream, tender home movie footage juxtaposed with staged scenes and poetic foreshadowing. Baby – A Poem feels ultimately optimistic, and sometimes idealistic to its detriment. Santorinaiou’s words seem intensely personal, and seen as one adult’s message to one baby, the idealism can be forgiven. However, it falters as a universal piece. It is difficult to marry the tone with the more ominous moments, to take the clearly stated message (“You will matter”) and apply it to the darker elements. Yes, the baby will matter, but the film’s dismissal of the baby’s possible struggles and sadness to come with an almost flippant “You will thrive” is disingenuous. Still, in the end, the film clearly comes from a place of love and feels very honest.

★★★ Directed by: #NelConradDelaCruz Written by: #NelConradDelaCruz Starring: #JakeMontajes, #JonahNakila, #RonaldCampos Film Review by: Patrick Foley Fun fact about Davao City: Rodrigo Duterte, the human-rights abusing, drug-user murdering current president of the Philippines was once the mayor of the city. Ok, perhaps it’s a not-so-fun fact. But it is one that gives an impression of the desolation and desperation felt by the city’s residents – something on full display in Conrad Dela Cruz’s crime short Once Upon a Time in Davao City. A young man (Jake Montajes) moves to Davao City with nothing but his guitar in hand. Finding himself without anywhere to stay, he moves into a rundown apartment next door to a vulnerable young woman (Jonah Nakila). When he is unable to afford rent, his landlord offers him a dangerous job with a high reward. But the task requires him to push his own morals to their breaking point… Once Upon a Time in Davao City brings plenty of style to the table, but lacks a little in substance or originality to allow it to stand out amongst similar dark crime thrillers set in run-down metropolises. As we follow the protagonist through colour-drained streets and dingy apartment buildings, we get a fantastic sense of how the poverty of Davao can force terrible choices onto good-hearted people. The city itself is the star of the show, Conrad Dela Cruz’ direction fully amplifying the shadowy and imposing apartment blocks and side-streets. The sense that we are at the start of the protagonist’s descent is palpable, and setting the city up as a place where only survivors last is essential for this. The plot itself however is clunkier and fails to tell the protagonist’s story nearly as effectively. We never really get a sense why he has left home behind for the city, and his decision to take up his landlord’s offer feels unearned – emanating from an inability to find work and a traumatic exposure to his neighbour’s strife. But there is a distinct lack of emotion inserted into these moments – with no time given to his own money struggles or to developing a relationship with the neighbour. For such a pivotal shift in character, more development was really necessary. The acting is strong, with Jake Montajes bringing a gamut of emotions to the protagonist as he goes from wide-eyed newcomer to the city to a man on the brink of a life-changing decision. His faux-confidence as he discusses his task with seasoned gangsters is a brilliant display of turmoil that marks his personal point of no return. Jonah Nakila’s performance as his neighbour is similarly brilliant, with an emotional display that similarly demonstrates how Davao City itself tears people apart. A short which brilliantly summarises the dangers of its setting, but fails to really develop its characters, Once Upon a Time in Davao City is exactly what it says on the tin – a short thriller where the city itself is the star.

★★★★ Directed by #JoshuaZeman Written by #LisaSchillelr #JoshuaZeman Film Review by George Wolf Ask any rando what their favorite Star Trek movie is, and you’ll get plenty of the same response. “The one with the whales!” To save the universe, Kirk and the gang have to make sure a whale’s song gets answered. It was touching, right? The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 finds a similar nerve, chasing a legendary animal seemingly alone in the vastness of the ocean. The U.S. Navy first heard the whale in 1992, calling out at 52 Hz, a unique frequency no other whale could understand. And so the songs of this lonely whale – dubbed “52” – went unanswered, until the Navy stopped listening ten years ago. A New York Times article about 52’s plight ignited a global community of souls who seemingly related to feeling alone in a sea of noise. One of those was director Joshua Zemen, and his film attempts to separate the facts from the legend while documenting a weeklong expedition to actually track down 52 in the open ocean. 52’s story is certainly a compelling one, and Zemen gives it more context through background info on the history of whaling and how 1970’s “Songs of the Humpback Whale” began to change the way we thought about these majestic creatures. Zemen’s approach may be far from stylish, but it is earnest, ambitious and respectful, which seems fitting for a story anchored in a love of science and nature. And while the correlations between a friendless whale and a sea of people increasingly detached through technology are hard to miss, Zemen finds the restraint to avoid going boldly there once too often. The Loneliest Whale captures its most effective feels in the epilogue, when we catch up with Zemen and members of his team getting some surprising news two months after their expedition came to an end. It’s a surprise that not only brings hope for 52, but for anyone warmed by nature’s little victories. #GeorgeWolf