I didn’t realize until I got home that the movie is adapted from a short film River Gallo made in 2019. It’s on Vimeo. The short is less polished than the movie, but the story is more focused. Almost every line from the short is in the movie, but some are shuffled to new characters. The last scene is similar to the last one in the movie, but it’s much more connected to the rest of the story.
Last year I learned that there are special screenings of all the nominated short film categories. I went again this year, and… these didn’t do much for me, especially compared to last year’s nominees. Shorts should be the place where people make unexpected decisions, and these really don’t do that.
Mastodon has stopped showing the front page featured image, so I’m sticking it here so it shows up:
The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent
There is a man in this movie who does not remain silent. The main character watches him and nervously smokes cigarettes. Look, I know short films by design are exercises in eliminating as many details as possible without breaking the story, but this cuts out important details and then gives them back in the synopsis. If your movie requires specific research to make sense, you’ve probably cut too much.
Anuja
I’m also aware that short films thrive on ambiguous endings, but this one ends like it’s the first episode of a TV series.
I’m Not a Robot
This movie also has an ambiguous ending, but it works. My favorite of the five; it won’t win. Note to self: go see Companion.
A Lien
This felt like the successor to last year’s Red, White and Blue; a serious and important subject told in a forced and melodramatic way. It’s the better of the two shorts, though.
The Last Ranger
Another important story told generically. You’ll know so much of the story ahead f time you’ll wonder if you’re clairvoyant.
Since this is a collection of five unrelated shorts I didn’t make a parody poster, but I did throw together this:
