By Miles Johnson
The Film Festival would not be complete without its student films.
During the afternoon of Nov. 2, several short productions, two of them from SCAD, were shown at the Lucas Theater.
Farewell to the Sparrow
How do you cope with the death of a loved one? What if you find out that they weren’t the person you thought they were?
In the SCAD-produced “Farewell to the Sparrow, written by Shane Ladd and Zach Cutler, and directed by Ladd, daughter Sable must answer these questions about her late mother.
Over the course of the film, Sable’s emotional state flits from one of grief, to suspicion, to betrayal.
As the plot twists and turns, Sable is forced to confront her mother’s sins. In the end, it is the daughter that must become the stronger of the two women.
Sebastian’s Voodoo
Rarely do we ponder the experience of the voodoo doll, a creature that exists only to be stabbed repeatedly.
In the animated short “Sebastian’s Voodoo,” director Joaquin Baldwin from UCLA focuses on the violent act of piercing the doll. In this story, the crudely constructed toys play the heroes, as one tries to save his companion from being pinned in the heart by a malicious master.
The film is animated brilliantly. The lighting is appropriately disturbing and the texture of the dolls is expertly rendered.
Through top-notch animation and an excellent score, “Voodoo” tells a story about love, sacrifice and pain.
The Fakers
If only “The Fakers” had come across as a little more real. Despite the intriguing concept, the film by SCAD student Evan Watkins suffers from awkward writing and poor acting.
A boss seeking to rejuvenate his love life with his much younger wife asks for assistance from his employee. The employee, who with his wife surprises couples with phony but arousing robberies, agrees.
On the night of the fake heist, however, a real duo of armed assailants invades the boss’ home. Things get silly from there.
Unfortunately, the actors’ performances just weren’t believable. The fake robbers were playing pretend, and it was obvious that everyone else was too.
Joy in the Morning
Though a mere 17 minutes long, “Joy in the Morning,” reveals itself slowly. The opening conversation between protagonist Nikki and her boyfriend is cryptic. Upon meeting Nikki’s niece Joy, it’s not immediately apparent what is wrong with her.
Slowly but surely, the film becomes one about motherhood. Nikki has to learn ways to connect with her autistic, Bible-quoting niece, and meanwhile make a difficult decision about her own future as a mother. It ends up being Nikki’s experience with Joy that inspires her to take her life into her own hands
Like “Farewell to the Sparrow,” “Joy in the Morning” is a tale about a woman who must rise to meet a challenge. Writer and director Gina Atwater of Columbia University succeeds in telling this story right.
All of these films, as well as several others, replay at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 6.
