review

1. Exploring and understanding
the interlocking web of issues
that constitute the intense
social dynamics of our modern
existences is a key part of any
social realist film. Within the
last few years the issues of
mental health and overall
wellbeing has become an
important and dominating
problem affecting millions
around the globe. While there
has been a number of
attempts to tackle such issues
in feature films, this has been
less apparent and successful in
the short form, but this new
short film from the newly
established director Beth Izatt,
brings a harsh and raw view to
the issue’s effects.
Themes of personal values and
accomplishments, restrictions
and hope are seen through the
female protagonist of the short
in her mission to obtain a job
within her limited time period
of living, cut short from health
issues. We feel that the
director’s understanding has
deepened since her first work,
The Space Between (2016)
understanding of both her
s u b j e c t m e a n s h e r
representation tool have
become sharper. Biting
contemporary social themes
and issues are the focus of the
genre. These themes and
issues are addressed through
the use of generic conventions,
from the use of real locations,
to featuring untrained actors
rooted into the genre of social
realism and with this the film
itself generates a strong
naturalistic atmosphere,
initiated by how she gives the
lead role to a peer, untrained in
acting, displaying the dreaded
ritual of a job interview, a
slightly unpleasant experience
we are all familiar with. Megan
Windmill manages to evoke a
tone that is at times hopeful,
at times sullen, producing an
outstanding performance. Izatt
is quoted on her personal
rationale with the lead casting,
by saying, “the strong emotive
presence was needed to push
this narrative forwards, the
story requires someone
capable of a realistic reaction
to what was going on around
her.”
The film opens with a delicate
sequencing of Val choosing her
interview clothing, showing
early on her medical issues. A
sense of fragility conveyed
through a pale colour palette
and condensed compositions.
Although challenging the
conventions and expectations
of full on grittiness and hard
hitting plots from the
beginning, the sequence
introduces a theme that is
underlying in the whole film,
perseverance. There is a
distinct element of her work
that places any protagonist in
a situation where they have a
desire to simply carry on,
hopefully towards better
things; it is here that we
establish a understanding. With
a combination of character
s t u d y a n d o u t s t a n d i n g
performance, things are looking
good. Issues of mental health
and wellbeing are incorporated
successfully from the moment
that Val is in the toilet to her
f r a n t i c a n d h o r r i f y i n g
realisation that she does not
have her medication, leaving
her with a choice: attending
the interview, paying the
mountain of medical bills, or
addressing her own health. This
underlines an interesting
dynamic to Val’s position and
how young women develop
such mental health issues due
to extreme stresses and
expectations. The ability to
draw from her micro toolset to
create a complex weave of
macro layer is what makes
Izatt such an interesting and
impressive young director.
The ending of the film serves
as a finale to the poetic
montage we have already seen.
A factor of this comes from
Callie Barnwell and her warming
characterisation, prompting Val
to realise what the real answer
is to her situation, one day she
will not see that old age, and
that day will come sooner if
she does not address her
health. This mirrors the work of
Sarah Gavron in The Girl in the
Lay-by, representing the
concept of a wiser and more
experienced elder acting as a
catalyst of change for
someone younger, searching
for guidance whether they are
aware of it or not, despite the
overall ending being left a little
too much to the audience's
imagination. Nevertheless,
promising opportunities are in
sight for this upcoming
director.
Reviewed by John Parker
Photo: a health enticed, ill-fated obligation