THE BALD FUTURE
BALDING can be a source of piercing insecurity and inescapable vulnerability for men, poking thousands of follicle-sized holes in even the most resilient of masculine armours.
Paul Cabon’s short film The Bald Future explores the neurosis of a young man who realises he will be bald one day while sitting around the family dinner table. In the next five minutes, Cabon’s unfolding animation takes us on a tour through this young man’s scrambling mind, from images of Jesus to two tigers having sex, as he comes to terms with his hairless fate.
The animation is relentlessly entertaining, just as the writing is replete with humour and profundity. I cannot recommend this highly enough.
Credits: Paul Cabon (director)
Click to watch (runtime – 5.36)
THE EMPRESS
AS the snow across England melts away, Merra Marie’s short film The Empress provides four minutes of welcome escapism.
Filmed on a beach, this short film gives spirited images to the empowering and poetic lyrics of Ruby Empress’ The Empress. Much like A Whiter Shade of Light (from Short Film Watch #2), Marie deals in the abstract, leaving us to contemplate the use of a mirror and a squashed plum. Thanks to neat camerawork and a charming French accent, this makes for a quite bewitching watch.
Credits: Merra Marie (director), Ana Del Mar (cast)
Click to watch (runtime – 3.53)
PUZZLE
PUZZLE is a drama-thriller from London-based director Barbara Toschi. Beautifully shot (striking lighting and clever camera pans) and well-acted throughout (led by a strong performance from Lara Gallagher), Puzzle takes us into the psychologist’s office as lonely figure Alice seeks solace from a number of problems – a tetchy ex-boyfriend, stress at work and a disconnect from her mother.
We soon learn, however, that Alice is not the only familiar face spending time in the office of slightly unsettling psychologist Miriam. The story unravels nicely as the truth about pills and manipulation begin to spill.
This is accomplished filmmaking from Toschi and co – promising signs for an exciting future.
Credits: Barbara Toschi (director & producer), Emily Jane-Robinson (DOP), Tabata Pieri (production design), Lachlan Smith (editor), Nicola Gregory (producer), Ed Harris (music), Lara Gallagher (cast), Tiffany-Ellen Robinson (cast), Abbie Samuel (cast), Arthur Perdreau (cast), Paola Lizza (cast)
Puzzle will be shown at festivals in 2018 (runtime – 14.57)
