Action! (2021)

A hidden gem

Having watched the trailer, I was expecting this short film to just be a fun physical comedy about the main character trying to avoid her ex-girlfriend while still doing her job as second camera assistant. And it is successful in that regard - the comedic scenes really are very funny - but it's also doing a lot more than that.

The main character is someone who has failed in multiple respects: she wants to make movies, but now she can only help other people make theirs; she seems to still like her ex, but now only avoids her. On paper, it sounds depressing, but the main character's situation is treated with delicacy and humour, and the ending is gently uplifting.

What I was most surprised by was how much ground is covered. Despite the the story taking place over a single day and there being no music and only sparse dialogue, there's a great deal of thought and emotion packed into this short film's 11-minute runtime. The director has an excellent sense for how to let the scenes breathe while also keeping them as concise as possible, and the two leads hit it out of the park with some genuinely affecting performances.

I really hope more people will watch this short film, and I myself will definitely be checking out the directors' other work should the opportunity arise.

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