This was definitely the best of the "Short and Taboo" section at MIFF... actually, it was probably the best short at MIFF, full stop.
The acting was absolutely amazing, the two leads said so much without saying a word, and while this was one of the strengths of this short, the lack of dialogue was also what let it down in some ways too, as I didn't even realise that it was their mother at the beginning of the short until I saw the credits, and then I said to my friend, "Oh, was the mother at the start of the film?". Perhaps a little exposition, such as a voice-over, may have made this small criticism unnecessary.
Overall, however, I found this an incredibly affecting, tender and extremely intimate glimpse into a very taboo relationship, and it was this tender storytelling which helped the audience to not simply make a snap moral judgement of the relationship, but to instead watch the film and experience the relationship between the two leads (brother and sister)... and then to discuss it in detail afterwards! :)
The acting was absolutely amazing, the two leads said so much without saying a word, and while this was one of the strengths of this short, the lack of dialogue was also what let it down in some ways too, as I didn't even realise that it was their mother at the beginning of the short until I saw the credits, and then I said to my friend, "Oh, was the mother at the start of the film?". Perhaps a little exposition, such as a voice-over, may have made this small criticism unnecessary.
Overall, however, I found this an incredibly affecting, tender and extremely intimate glimpse into a very taboo relationship, and it was this tender storytelling which helped the audience to not simply make a snap moral judgement of the relationship, but to instead watch the film and experience the relationship between the two leads (brother and sister)... and then to discuss it in detail afterwards! :)
