Two dairy farmers discover that one of their cows is missing. Their search leads them to find something they never expected.
Written, directed, and edited by Torbjörn Edwall, Daisy leaves us questioning what we know about the dairy industry, gives a voice to farmers plus the generations before them, and tells a fun story with thrill and mystery. The 14-minute runtime doesn’t allow us to dive deep into the big topics, but lets us take away a few layers through excitement and intrigue. As soon as I clicked play, a few thoughts were zipping around my head. Would there be UFOs, maybe a rival farm, or even the couple we meet aren’t what they seem? We have a simple premise of a cow going missing, and Edwall’s writing and pace make sure all of our thoughts to a motive are tackled in ways we don’t expect.
A major part of Daisy is the music. It’s space age and fresh, but always makes the viewer feel on edge. The atmosphere created is larger than life, mirroring the story perfectly, and setting up for an ending no one would expect. Compared to the rural location of the farm, and most of the shots being quite dark and shadowed, the score feels light, like tip toes around the characters constantly posing calm but also threat.
Lars, played by Peter Mörlin, is a rugged character who loves what he does. Mörlin becomes him through this journey and is able to show us exactly how Lars is feeling at every stage. We worry with him, share his anger, and adore his bravery. Being a short film with few characters, the couple we meet are integral at holding the audience as we wouldn’t stay if we didn’t like them. Peter Mörlin and Emma Broomé, who plays Lena, are great casting, complimenting this story completely.
This short film uses clever lighting and camera work to really bring us along with the story and feelings of Lars and Lena. Director of Photography Haris Mlivic emphasises how the everyday lives of this couple has completely changed and become unsettled through the style of the shoot. Centring the action and characters in the frame allow us to focus on just what’s happening, rather than anything else. The story behind this short film is a simple one at heart, allowing the feelings to drive it, and highlighting this through the camera makes it so easy to sink into and watch.
Daisy is a brilliant short film that introduces us to the unknown and reminds us that anything can suddenly change.