Short Stack 4

Se from Emma O'Brien

A Whisper, a dark, measured depiction of the dangers of texting whilst driving, began the evening as the first of Lucy Young’s four films showcased. It was followed by Elizabeth Carlyon’s Solace, a beautiful visual poem made up of striking imagery and some interesting, innovative cinematographic and editorial choices.

Gemma Rowe, winner of Confetti’s Student of the Year for 2015, directed the third film of the evening.  Lukasz, a well-executed exploration of bigotry, small-mindedness and immigration was nicely shot in black and white and featured a great string score. Lucy Young’s second film of the evening, Agoraphobia was made whilst babysitting the film’s subject Daisy Drakeford, who suffers with the condition. It’s poetic, thoughtful approach coupled with a rhythmic narration created a really effective short film about a difficult subject matter.

Sarah Wynne Kordas’ Charlie was next. Shot by Will Price and co-starring Darren Maffucci, the atmospheric, tense short conveyed the story of a camping trip gone awry. The first of Sophie Johnson-Hill’s three well received and wonderfully charming animated vignettes, Thunk, followed. Inspired by the thoughts of young children, the first of three in the series playfully explored why there were ‘so many fishes in the sea.’

Charlie from Sarah Wynne Kordas
 

Climbing and Jumping over Hurdles by Sarah Astill was a poetic, heartfelt and emotive piece which was beguilingly simple, but incredibly effective. Delivered as a monologue to camera, its verse lamented lost love and was one of my favourite shorts of the evening. It was preceded by Emma O’Brien’s Sé, an interesting short that used mirrors as an allegory to explore the dichotomy between the way we perceive ourselves, and the way others perceive us.

Lucy Young’s next short, Limbo, was inspired by her two years spent studying philosophy. Following a traffic accident, a young girl engages Death in a Woody Allen-esque conversation about life and death.  Darkly humorous and tactfully understated, it displayed the talents of a confident and adroit young director. The final film before the interval was both my favourite of the evening, and drew the best reaction from the audience. Deborah Haywood’s Sis was an often hilarious, frequently dark, contrasting study of the fragility and innocence of youth against the indifference and brutality of adult life. The constant tonal shifts were masterfully executed, as it perfectly captured the essence of youthful enthusiasm with a beautiful harshness.

Following the intermission, Amy Coop’s The Treehouse, which was awarded funds from Creative England’s iShorts programme told the story of the impact of a death in the family on a young boy. The powerful, heartbreaking short featured some beautiful cinematography and powerful acting. Short comedy The Role that Ruined My Career by Melanie Gourlay followed, which playfully looked at the concept of actors in horror films like The Human Centipede looking for less macabre roles in the setting of a casting room.

The Treehouse from Amy Coop
 

Following another delightful Thunk animation, Sigita Silina’s wonderful short Stick was screened. I’d previously seen this short at the NCN Student Showcase, and enjoyed it even more on second viewing.  Its charming, meditative look at the imagination of a young child in unfamiliar surroundings owes much to the measured, exquisite narration.  

One of the most impressive shorts of the showcase came from 13-year-old Jess O’Brien. Her short, Coping, was a sophisticated, capable exploration of the death of two teenagers, and the lasting effects on one of their friends. Dealing with themes of grief, anxiety and loss, its execution displayed an admirable maturity beyond O’Brien’s years.

Next was Sophie Black’s The Dress, made as part of The Five Lamps 24-hour film challenge. With echoes of a modern day Miss Haversham, it told the story of a young woman’s struggle to cope with the loss of her fiancé as his funeral nears. Following Sophie Johnson-Hill’s third and final Thunk of the evening, Lucy Young’s Robin played as the penultimate film. The mockumentary, which portrayed a young man with a deadly medical condition, was consistently funny until its grisly conclusion. The evening was rounded off with creepy, brilliantly atmospheric short Dolls by Kelly Holmes, which presented the unsettling, nefarious and borderline incestuous world of a brother and sister set in a dollhouse.

The next Short Stack  - a Scalarama Fan Film Special – will be held in the usual location of Rough Trade on Sunday 13 September. The free event will include a screening of the highly anticipated film Predator: Dark Ages by James Bushe.

Short Stack 4 took place at Rough Trade on Sunday 23 August 2015.

Short Stack Scalarama Event