When discussing the haunting and incredibly effective short film “O”, you first have to mention the music, as this can easily be categorized as a music video and not a narrative short film. From a French artist/band/project simply called GEROSTENKORP, this is instrumental music you can listen to anytime on Spotify or any music stream platform, as they have a large library of enticing tracks.   

This song definitely sets the narrative tone of this piece of a time & space that many are familiar with but simply don’t want to venture to again.

The great thing about films like “O” is that it’s enchanting enough from an aesthetic point of view that you really don’t have to logically understand what is taking place. You just need to take in what’s occurring and simply feel it. It’s an experimental film that is entertaining and enjoyable to watch, even if you really don’t know what’s actually happening. And that is the point of the piece. People are going to take in what they feel in context to their own life experiences. Some will think about their recent past traumas in the Covid era where we were alone and distant from any trace of existence, like the main character is. Stuck in a warehouse of emotions. Some will think of dying as the angel/devil appears to whisk you away from your loneliness. And others will simply feel the woman’s reactions to the world she’s presented with.

No matter what, “O” is a film for everyone as it’s so well made and the music is so engaging, you can’t help but watch the film throughout even though you don’t consciously know why.

The direction is top notch. Subtle and still. It lets the music sink into the soul of the viewer. The female lead is tremendous as we really feel her pain. Her eyes tell us everything we need to know. And the production design / location set up gives us that feeling of awareness, as we know of a place like this, while at the same time takes us into a unique and original world.

Bravo to the French filmmaking team of “O”. Tremendous film.

By Eli Manning

http://www.fabienlegeron.com/

https://instagram.com/fabienlegeron

At present date “O” has screened at over 20 top film festivals from around the world today.

Watch the Audience Feedback Video from the Experimental Film Festival:

Directed by Fabien Legeron

Cast: Jennifer Gothuey, Daniel Larose

Special Effects/Makeup: Ophélie Charpentier, Banshee Xuân

Score/Music: GEROSTENKORP