Tim Luna / Mexico-Germany / 8 minutes
Synopsis
Egaeus lives with his beloved cousin Berenice. But an unknown disease consumes her… until only her teeth remain healthy.
We enjoyed it, and that’s an understatement.
« Thirty2 »’s main card, let’s mention it at once, is its aestheticism. The film goes all out to deliver a characterful piece, as gothic as possible. Arturo Chu’s photography is gorgeous, combining mastered lightings, neat compositions, contrasted black & white and classy grain. All this showcases pretty sets: stairs, rooms, foggy cemetery and parks, daytime or nighttime, backlighting or candlelight… Just as in the original tale, characters are very few; here among the cast, in the role of Egaeus, Harrison Jones’ presence is especially put in the front, by turns subtle and expressionist, sensitive and ambiguous. Still for your viewing pleasure: costumes and props totally strengthen the immersion. Out of image, worth noting the excellent music (Thomas Mattern) and very good sound overall (Lex Ortega / Luis Flores). Nice work.
Within its scenario, this loose adaptation makes some details or actions from the basic model less evident. Will viewers who didn’t read it piece together all the story’s facets? It must be said that transcribing Poe without any written or spoken word is a challenge. Maybe the experience will be more confusing, but the emotion and the universe will hit the target anyway.
If we were to quibble, we would say the ending occurs a little fast, and that developing the last part’s gory side would’ve been tempting. But we’d be fussy! The present balance finds its logic— and despite the short global duration, madness and horror remain intact to reach the audience.
Conclusion
An elegant short-film determinedly embracing its concept. We wouldn’t have minded one more hour. Thank you Mr Luna.
S.I.
« Thirty2 » joins official selection for the Little Croco Festival’s first edition, nominated in the Horror category.
Trailer:
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