Kierston Drier

Film Review: TRAIN, (Israel, Animation/Music Video)

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A lovely musical piece childrens’ animation piece, TRAINS describes a parents playtime ritual with their small child. A lovely, beautiful piece bursting with bright watercolors, fun shapes and musical magic, this three minute Israeli film will transport you straight back to childhood.

 

Much like watching fun song from sesame street or your favorite children’s show, TRAINS will sweep you up in it’s joyful, youthful whimsy. If you can remember a time from youth when you became totally engrossed in your play-time, then you can sense the moment TRAINS attempts to capture in its viewers. If you are a kid at heart, it will succeed.

Review by Kierston Drier

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TRAIN, 3min., Israel, Animation/Music Video
Directed by Sari Eran Herskovitz“Rakevet” (meaning train in Hebrew), is a music video describing the relationship between a mother and her young child. The stop motion animation combines watercolors and cutouts to express the emotions and the rhythms of their world, flowing between concrete images and abstract forms. The song was created and performed by Sari and Moshe Herskovitz, the animator and her husband, as part of their debut album released in 2016.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: DAUGHTER, (Canada, Drama/Family)

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A deeply moving and powerful story of two mothers who struggle to raise their daughters. DAUGHTER a three minute film from Canada, follows a young mother with a young daughter and an older woman with a young daughter struggling through her own issues. The two meet in the middle to remember that one promise stays with you forever- the promise of love that binds parent and child.

 

This work has some confusing elements, and the audience may be left wondering whose daughter is whose and which timeline they are in. But dispense the disbelief just slightly and you are hit with an impactful sense of love, loss and sacrifice. This piece has a strong focal point- love. And love always wins. At the end of our journeys through parenthood we may talley our victories and defeats, but the love that motivates all acts of parental compassion never changes. DAUGHTER is a tribute to such emotional journeys. For that alone, it is worth the watch.

Review by Kierston Drier

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DAUGHTER, 3min., Canada, Drama/Family
Directed by Lia WilliamsonCreated as a ‘Two Stories’ project, this film follows two single mothers trying to successfully raise their daughters. As the years progress, this task becomes more and more difficult.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: MILE, (USA, Drama)

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A strong film coming in at just a minute in length, MILE is an exercise is emotional brevity. Our nameless hero spends the entire film running. And running. And running. No matter how slow, or how many times he has to stop- he keeps going. Until at long last, his mile is reached.

 

This film has no dialogue, and only one main character. But what is brilliant about it, is that there is nothing more needed to convey the strong sense of character and story. Truly great short films, that can take us on emotional journeys in under a minute are exceedingly rare. Yet MILE accomplishes this with ease. A single note, a single beat in a human’s’ life as the act to better themselves. One mile behind them- a thousand more to go. MILE is a short and wonderful film, simple, clear and worth every step.

Review by Kierston Drier

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MILE, 1min., USA, Drama
Directed by Kevin AntonA large man is determined to run his first mile, but has to overcome his own obstacles first.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: A LETTER FROM LETICIA, (Argentina, Animation)

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This colorful and beautiful film comes to us from director Irene Blei with a powerful story. Telling the story of Leticia Veraldi, a teenage girl who goes missing after school one day, after her parents move her from her home to her friends’ home in Cipolletti. One of many stories coming out of Argentina in the 1970’s during a time of political and social unrest.

 

A fascinating and heart breaking story about one young and vibrant life vanishing tragically, it is a testament to a tragic part of Argentine history not soon to be forgotten.What is unique about A LETTER FROM LETICIA is it’s intricate duality of media- it is half colorful and bright animation, and half stoic documentary. The affect is the in the first half of the film we are pulled into the bright and vibrant world of youthful childhood- and in the second, we are pushed into the harsh black-and-white reality of crimes gone unsolved. Moving and powerful, A LETTER FROM LETICIA is a strong and compelling piece.

 

Review by Kierston Drier

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A LETTER FROM LETICIA, 3min., Argentina, Animation
Directed by Irene BleiArgentina, 1976: Leticia Veraldi: was in her 4th year at Colegio Nacional de Vicente Lopez high school in Buenos Aires, when her parents decided to move her to their friend’s house in Cipolletti, Rio Negro, for protection. This letter is one from many the young girl mailed to her former school mates.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: VOWS, (4min., USA, LGBT/Animation) 

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A wordless wonder of a film, VOWS tells the simple, yet powerful story of a man on his wedding day. On what should be one of the happiest days of his life, our hero is hit with difficult feelings of abandonment that come when he sees an important wedding invitation has been returned- rejected. But love always wins.
A beautiful animated film with engaging colours and textures worthy of any Disney-Pixar, this film has something special hidden within it- in its credits. The film is only a few beats long, but within the credits we the highlights of our hero’s life well lived.
For a film so short, it is a mastery of simple touching story telling. And it is worth sitting through every credit to see the joy that unfolds in the final frames. A delightful and moving piece. Well done VOWS, well done.

 

Review by Kierston Drier

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VOWS, 4min., USA, LGBT/Animation 
Directed by Mark McKinseyVows is the story of a man on one of the biggest days of his life – he is incredibly excited, but is suddenly reminded of a deep sadness that plagues this very happy day with the person he loves most.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: YOURS FAITHFULLY EDNA WELTHORPE (MRS), (UK, Animation/Comedy)

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A New film by Chris Shepherd, YOURS FAITHFULLY EDNA WELTHROPE is an animated comic short tribute piece to Joe Orton, a well known letter writer who complained to local companies under the pen name Edna Welthorpe.

 

Charming to listen to, and delightful to watch, this animation is full of humorous visuals, delightful images and the hilarious voice of Orton. Created to celebrate his life, 50 years after it ended, YOUR FAITHFULLY EDNA WELTHORPE is a joyful and engaging piece.

 

The magic in this film is that in only five minutes, we feel we know Edna, and know her well. Her voice, so aptly akin to the “fussy old lady” is perfectly characterised by exceptional voice acting. Of course the deeper comic layer here being that Edna does not exist, and these companies she is writing to are often perplexed at her letters. Regardless YOURS FAITHFULLY EDNA WELTHORPE is a hilarious and enjoyable film to watch.

Review by Kierston Drier

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YOURS FAITHFULLY EDNA WELTHORPE (MRS), UK, Animation/Comedy
Directed by Chris ShepherdJoe Orton would write letters of complaint using the pseudonym of Edna Welthorpe. Using this persona Orton would wind up companies, vicars and even ridicule his own plays.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: MATTHEW, (USA, LGBT/Family)

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Moving and profound, MATTHEW, directed by Luke Willis is a striking film about a young boy (Matthew) who is in the process of discovering his own sexual identity when he must face the social sets backs of his disillusioned Grandfather. While going out with his friend Maya, a “hangout” his grandfather wrongly assumes is a “Date”, his grandfather decides to watch and see the developments. The grandfather ends up taking issue with his grandson- not because he refuses to kiss his friend Maya, but because Maya is black.

 

What is so compelling about this piece is that the character of the grandfather is blind to his grandson’s true orientation- all his can see is the issue he feels is right in front of his face- that his grandson is associating with people of a different race. But there is something incredibly wonderful in this story as well. The grandfather represents a time that is running out. His fears, his xenophobia and his hostility are unfounded and doomed to be short lived. Our hero Matthew and his friend Maya are the future- and they are at peace, both with their friendship and with who they are.

 

The layers of development that turn us from children into adults are rich and complex. They include layers of self discovery, layers of awkwardness, layers of history. And we emerge on the other side as the people we all grow to be. These layers are built in a series of fundamental moments that shape us in our formative and vulnerable years. MATTHEW is a film that takes a close and personal look at one such moment in a young boy’s life as he takes a step away from where his family comes from, and steps into a brighter and happier future.

 

A stunning film boasting beautiful cinematography and fantastic casting, MATTHEW is a film not to miss.

Review by Kierston Drier

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MATTHEW, 6min., USA, LGBT/Family
Directed by Luke WillisA teenage boy is figuring out his own sexual identity when his grandfather drives him to hang out with a girl.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: CHRICKE, (Sweden, LGBT/Experimental)

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Just shy of seven minutes, CHRICKE packs a huge amount of information into itself. Waking up in a completely white world our hero, Chricke, operates in a blank void- the walls are white, the phone is white, the food is white, he is painted white. And he paints his things white as well. His world is bright- but colorless. The phone call from his father who rambled drunkeningly off the hook expresses nothing but familial disappointment for his son’s life choices. All the way Chricke paints himself white. Until, that is- he sees a light shining through a small way out. Unlike his current world this light is full of colour. As Chricke’s father drones on and on with what we realize is a final goodbye and disownment, Chricke finds a way out of tiny white world.

The obvious visual metaphor is striking and simple. The performance of our main character conveys everything needed with his body language. The piece does what every short film should strive to do- convey a feeling in a short, profoundly effective way. CHRICKLE does this. And the feeling at the end of the film is one of freedom- a fresh start awaits  our hero outside of the blank walls of montonecy and normalcy. Chrickle is free.

Review by Kierston Drier

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CHRICKLE, 7min., Sweden, LGBT/Experimental
Directed by Christian ArnoldA young man wakes up to a monotonus and isololated life in a colourless prison. Relucantly, he does everything in his power to suit his oppressive father. Until it knocks on the door.CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!

Film Review: BOY (USA, LGBT/Drama)

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Powerfully shot and emotionally charged despite it’s minimalist script, BOY centers around a businessman who takes an interest in a young street kid. Taking him back to his apartment, he offers the boy kindness- tending to his recent injury and offering him a beer. Yet there is something sinister going on underneath the surface that is at first hard to read- until the moment when the tension in the room turns sexual and the two have a dramatic sexual encounter.

A film that unnerves and unhinges you, and leaves the viewer with a sick sense of breathlessness, BOY must be praised. For such a strong reaction to be felt in the audience is only a testament to the incredible portal by the well-casted performers and the tight, intimate sense of space created by the cinematographic style. BOY is a film that takes you into a disturbing and confusing world and breaks your heart in the process. We see, in only a few short minutes, the breaking of the innocence of our youthful character and the brokenness that is our adult character.

BOY is a stunning and gripping film, full of things to say about who we are, why we do the things we do, and who we do them with. It is a piece that makes us to look at a dramatic moment in the lives of two people and ask ourselves who they might be afterward. A compelling film indeed.

Review by Kierston Drier

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BOY, 9min., USA, LGBT/Drama
Directed by Declan Quinlan

A businessman is pushed to evaluate himself after a young runaway leads him into unfamiliar territory.

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Film Review: THE FRUIT MACHINE (Canada, LGBT/Drama)

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Review by Kierston Drier

Based on true historical events that played out during the cold war in Canada, FRUIT MACHINE, directed by Omer Khan and written by Tavish Gudgeon, is a strong and compelling piece about social mores, and the epic divide between our love for our country, and our love for each other. Against the backdrop of war and the social stigma of homosexaulity, our hero, Marleau  is forced to submit to a bizarre and brutal test called “The Fruit Machine” but it forces him to recount the warm, and also painful memories of his relationship with Sam- who enlisted before him.

 

And although Marleau doesn’t want him to go, Sam is committed to serve his country. But when Sam returns to find Marleau in the arms of a woman their relationship and communication comes to an abrupt stop. Marleau is tormented by the one-who-got-away, and whatever happened to him.

 

For a film so short, it captures with strikingly articulate pain the sense of tragedy and pride in the hearts of young men going to war. But underneath that age-old story is something even more emotionally compelling- the love between two people who must hide their feelings for each other and when they are ripped apart, they are not even given the courtesy to mourn the loss of that love- as it is forbidden. Beautifully shot, exceptionally well casted and compellingly written and performed, THE FRUIT MACHINE is an engaging and dramatic performance. A brilliant retelling of a disturbing part of Canadian history, but story worth hearing at all costs.

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THE FRUIT MACHINE, 16min., Canada, LGBT/Drama
Directed by Omer KhanDuring the 1950’s and 60’s, at the height of the Cold War, the Canadian government was doing everything it could to gain an advantage. Major shifts were happening within the RCMP, military, and civil services. A device was introduced to test the stress levels of workers by measuring pupillary response to certain images. This device was called: The Fruit Machine.

CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film!