The document provides a review and analysis of the independent film "The Visit" directed by Ella Sanderson. It notes that the film explores the themes of relationships, belonging as a teenager, and discovering someone's true colors after years of thinking they were something different. Specifically, the film follows the story of Alex, who seems to live in a world where he doesn't belong. Though the film has some technical flaws like rushed framing and overacted performances, the reviewer argues that for Sanderson's first independent project writing, filming, directing, and editing alone, it shows promise to be something special with further refinement of its production qualities and acting.

1. The indie teenage long-distance love film seems to have become quite common place in the
cinema such as 7 years and Like Crazy, but the most recent independent film to hit the
screens is quite unique. Ella Sanderson, the director has been noted as up-and-coming for a
while, teasing us with commissions for various media companies and co-writing (insert
name)’s most recent thriller, Chills. Her use of black and white might come across as a
rookie way of hiding filming mistakes, but it is actually a refreshing reminder that life isn’t
easily explained in colour, sometimes it takes a bit of black and white to show our true
colours, and this is exactly what her new film, The Visit reverberates. The film opens with
Alex looking up at a menacing building, even from this first shot as well as the title the
audience suspects something sinister. However, this is quickly obliterated with the sound of
roaring party going on behind that foreboding door that stands between him and the
ambiguous goal. I won’t give away too much, but I will say that this is a story about finding
someone’s true colours after spending so many years thinking they were something
different. The film not only deals with relationships and the pressure that space puts on
them, but also the omnipresent theme of belonging while being a teenager.
Alex seems to live in a world where he doesn’t belong, and whole film seems to be
constantly deliver and reinforce this fact with isolated shots, use of awkward silences and
the constant feeling that he is being judged and laughed at. Whether it is true or a figment
of a paranoid imagination, Alex breaks free of what seems like a life-long imprisonment
from avoiding his true identity at the climax of the film, setting in motion and interesting
question asking whether Alex’s relationship with June is strong enough. The Visit seems to
follow short film conventions well. We are thrown into the world of Alex and June with no
context except the ring of a doorbell and a giggle. From then, it a treasure map for the
audience to discover what will occur between this awkward couple. We learn about the
state of their love through subtle body language and removed dialogue. The most
interesting part of this film is the information we learn from others that have minor parts in
the film, and how that relates to the main plot.
The narrative is neatly followed through a comprehensible set of camera shots and
movements, the audience never feels confused or jolted by what is happening on screen.
The use of colour to represent emotion and an inner psychological struggle with the
protagonist is also commendable and a creative response to a world of film that has become
quite repetitive with a consistent, squeaky clean composition. However, even though the
film is interesting in terms of visual conventions, the angles are not perfect and a lot of the
time the framing looks slightly rushed and not well thought out, cutting off characters faces
or feet, making the film look unprofessional. The acting is also something to comment on,
the awkwardness between the two characters, intentional or not, is almost tangible, it is a
bit hard to believe that they are dating, and at times, whether they actually want to be at
that party, hostess included. The acting is relatively convincing and we do become
emotionally invested in Alex as a character which is a positive for any director, nevertheless
it is clear the acting is a bit over the top at times and could be a bit subtler to enforce a
social realism to the piece.

2. Ella Sanderson’s work seems to revolve around a sphere of exploring different types of
relationships, as seen in her opening for her film ‘Dusk/Dawn’, a production which she
teased the indie film stratosphere with but the production never went ahead due to
financial difficulties. A couple torn apart by dystopian societal conventions seems almost
identical to the cold and distant relationship that unfolds in The Visit. The couple are rarely
seen in frame together, and even when they are it is brief and awkward, Alex seems to be
trying to win June while also pushing her to slip through his fingers. This is perfectly
demonstrated when Alex plucks up the courage after a few drinks to engage in conversation
with her new ‘Arty’ friends. Either with cocky self-assurance or tentative risk-taking, Alex
takes the plunge and agrees on a statement about a new artist that June’s friends are
musing about, which is then shot down by Alex getting the medium of the artist wrong. This
is a perfect example of not just how Ella explores the difficulty of maturing relationships, but
also how teenagers self-manipulate and merge identities with others to feel accepted,
which doesn’t always work.
I would say this film is pretty successful considering it is her first independent project,
writing, filming, directing and editing by herself as a one-woman show. Her story is
extremely compelling and refreshing as it is subverting traditional gender roles of the male
being the protagonist and the emotional, hopeful lover in a relationship rather than the
colder more assertive figure that June represents. With better quality filming and more
convincing acting, this film is definitely on its way to being something special.