TIFF: Short Cuts Programme 1: Isolation, Alienation, and A Few Laughs
By Danny Sheahan
​​A young boy removed from his fellow peers, a Canadian woman isolated in a foreign country, a deranged shut-in willingly trapped within her own home: themes of alienation and loneliness run through each of the six films screened together in the first Short Cuts Programme, all to a spectacular effect. Short Cuts is a series of screenings that comprise 56 short films screened over eight programmes, representing 34 different countries and spoken in 22 different languages.
Short Cuts Programmer Jason Anderson made it clear that the intention of the Short Cuts series was to cover a broad international spectrum when selecting short films to screen.
"I think it's an amazing chance to show a lot of new talent," Anderson said.
"A lot of it is emerging talent, new voices, people who are really doing bold things. In a way, I think that a lot of it is seeing who's next, what are the next ideas, what's about to break, whether it's the filmmakers themselves or the sorts of stories they're telling."
We'll examine each film in the order that each was screened.
1.Feathers (2018)
Feathers (2018) by director A.V. Rockwell had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) '18. It's a coming-of-age story about a group of young black boys who attend a school for lost boys, with their vocational instructor, played by Nicoye Banks. Banks acts as a sort of father figure to each and every boy at the school while constantly working hard to get people in the community to donate funds to the school.
​The musical score in this film deserves some praise, as it musically captures the essence of the major theme. Wind orchestra instruments play out of sync with each other and create a dissonant sound field, rather than playing harmonically in sync together to create a harmonious sound as a unit. This relates directly to the major theme of the film, which director A.V. Rockwell describes as a "feeling that I feel a lot of Black children, in this specific case, Black boys, go through: moving through the world wondering why their life doesn't seem to have the same value as everyone else."
Feathers is a very effective reminder that, in the process of healing from the struggle, everybody needs to work and stick together in order to make that recovery and live in harmony, and that idea applies to any age group.
2.Paseo (2018)
Canadian film editor Matthew Hannam's directorial film debut Paseo (2018) stars Sarah Gadon as a Canadian woman who travels to Barcelona, Spain to work on a film shoot, but finds herself alienated not only by her boyfriend (played by Peter Mooney) but also by the city itself. She then finds herself psychologically and emotionally affected by the city's vibrancy in an attempt to not only find personal fulfillment but to also feel comfortable being there, despite not being able to speak Spanish.
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The film has a very peculiar editing style that has the capacity to confuse the average filmgoer. For those familiar with director Matthew Hannam's editing work, this should come as no surprise as he's edited a handful of films that one may describe as 'weird', such as Denis Villeneuve's surreal film Enemy (2013) and the Daniel Brothers' comedic drama Swiss Army Man (2016). Lead actor Sarah Gadon's performance is of particular note in this film, as it carries the emotional and psychological weight of the plot. Her performance is easily the most memorable aspect of the film, along with some choice moments in the film that won't be mentioned to avoid spoiling the film.
3. Everything Calms Down (2018)
​Everything Calms Down (2018) by Argentinian director Virginia Scaro is a film that tells the story of an older woman who lives alone and enclosed in her apartment living day by day to a strict, scheduled routine. The film is a genre-bending character study that incorporates elements of thriller, horror, and, surprisingly, comedy. Most of the films best moments are presented with little to no dialogue, leaving the actions of the characters to speak for themselves.
Some people watching this short film may find themselves tense and uncomfortable by the protagonist's living situation, which director Virginia Scaro has described as being inspired by a situation that was happening to her mother. These moments set up the film as a horror film, and the score definitely contributes to that sensation with dissonant strings and other spooky sounds. The second half of the film is where the genre starts to turn on itself and the film actually becomes quite funny in a very odd and peculiar way, but ultimately in a way that makes sense.
4. Shadow Cut (2018)
​Shadow Cut (2018) by New Zealand director Lucy Suess tells the story of a teenage boy and girl of Māori Indigenous background. The pair feel disillusioned by their own land and have to make the difficult decision of whether or not they will stay in their area or move to find more opportunity in life. The story is a simple vignette-style presentation of the two spending time together, trying their very best to find something to do.
It is definitely important to understand the context of what's going on in the film because it adds a heightened experience in watching the film than doing so without knowing anything about contemporary Māori indigenous people in New Zealand. Without the proper context, Shadow Cut would not feel nearly as special as it does with the proper context. Even if you don't identify with this group of people portrayed in the film, Shadow Cut is still a relatable film for its themes of wanting more opportunity in life.
5. Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes) (2018)
Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes) (2018) by Canadian director Amanda Strong was easily the most anticipated film of the night. It is a stop-motion animated film about a girl named Biidaaban who sets out to reclaim the ceremony of harvesting sap from maple trees, but faces confrontation from suburban development. The animation is extremely impressive to witness and the message of the movie is all too culturally relevant here in Canada.
The film effectively tells a cohesive story, inspired by the writings of Indigenous writer Leanne Simpson, without the use of any dialogue whatsoever (besides text messages on magical cellphone rocks), which is an impressive feat in itself. Another very impressive aspect of the production is the film's sound design, which successfully intensifies the immersion of the animation. Biidaaban is definitely a Short Cuts highlight for the festival.
6. Umbra (2018)
Saeed Jafarian's Umbra (2018) is an Iranian film that tells the story of a woman who goes into the nighttime streets to find her missing lover. Of the six films in the programme, this film felt more lifeless due to its very pale colour palette. But, due to the nature of the films plot, the pale colours emphasize the main characters lack of freedom in her life.
The film's lack of score also added to an aura of emptiness, with the sounds of rooms or the wind through the trees commanding the sound field and telling an aspect of the story that is not completely direct with the audience. Although not as strong as the other films in the programme (based on this reviewer's opinion), Umbra is definitely not a weak film to speak of, with strong acting performances and solid sound design standing out in the film.
These are just a handful of the short films being screened at TIFF in the Short Cuts series of screenings. For more details on films screening in the other 7 Short Cuts Programmes, please visit TIFF.
*Editor's note: Short Cuts series as originally screened at the Toronto International Film Festival '18