TO CELEBRATE is a collection of shorts under the theme of “films about mourning”. Jim Ross reviews the films screened as part of the programme, one of a generally very high standard.
CALLUM
Michael Van Der Put’s CALLUM deals with the aftermath of the death of a young boy’s girlfriend in an accident at a railway station. Beset with guilt and fear, Callum struggles to deal with the event and the pressures put on him. The editing by Adelina Bichis, particularly of sound, in Van Der Put’s film is extremely effective, showing a real understanding of how it can elevate the experience. A powerful and well-written drama, with an extremely effective use of different stylistic techniques throughout.
THE WAY THE LAMP SWINGS
It takes a while for THE WAY THE LAMP SWINGS to settle in, but once it does there is some fantastic filmmaking behind it. As it begins, the establishing sequences of the relationship between a father and daughter stranded in a broken-down boat are perhaps a little tedious and overwritten. However, once the young girl disappears the short really goes up a notch. The cinematography of the interior shots superbly emphasises the isolation of the fisherman. The addition of excellent camerawork and music results in a visually striking short that more than makes up for the slow first couple of minutes.
BLACK DUST
BLACK DUST follows primarily two young boys as their coal-miner fathers butt heads. However, when the more mild-mannered of the two fathers is trapped following a cave in it is down to Ike, the more malevolent father figure, to do something about it. The acting on show is terrific, with Finlay Robertson (playing Ike) a terrifically unsettling presence. The unspoken drama related to Ike’s son is extremely well handled, with direction and acting combining in a extremely accomplished 11 minutes.
DYLAN’S ROOM
DYLAN’S ROOM sees a mother, played by Joanna Scanlan of The Thick Of It, grieving over her son in his room. The entire short takes place in the room of the title, and does an excellent job of sustaining interest in the mother’s drug-aided reconnection with her son. A great chamber piece, director Layke Anderson’s use of wide angles and judicious close ups is extremely effective. In addition, both Scanlan and Ricky Nixon (playing Dylan) are incredibly engaging – Scanlan slipping into the role with apparent effortlessness. A poignant and understated short, DYLAN’S ROOM is all the more remarkable given the running time of 20 minutes. Despite being one of the least obvious in terms of its drama and characters, it remained one of the most engaging for the slightly longer running time.
DAYS OF AWE
DAYS OF AWE takes place over 10 days in the quiet apartment of a young Jewish woman, who it transpires has recently come out to her family. Playing over the top are answer phone messages from concerned friends and family members, whilst a single tracking shot moves through the apartment in an accelerated passage of time. An absolute triumph of cinematography and camerawork, the final frames of DAYS OF AWE strike with a gut punch that is hard to shake off.
LINE 102
LINE 102 follows a female bus driver, Margret, in the wake of her decision to throw an unruly teenager off her bus in the dead of night. When it transpires the girl was raped, she struggles to deal with her guilt over the event and begins obsessively riding the bus. A thematically interesting film, LINE 102 invites us to examine whether Margret should feel as guilty as she does. The actual offender is never seen nor heard in the film, with the focus on Margret throughout. It’s questionable whether it gets this morally grey tone correct all the way through, but LINE 102 is uncomfortably effective.