Here’s a little piece from Down Under I managed to check out not too long ago—from director Sam Voutas, and currently on the festival circuit, comes something that starts with a similar premise to Groundhog Day, but asks—what would you do, if all you needed to get out of eternity on repeat was to swap places with someone?
The setting is definitely interesting—it was filmed on King Island, a remote place near Tasmania, not quite Antarctic but not quite the sun-scorched vistas we might associated with that part of the world either. We have Venezuelan actor Ivan Aristeguieta as a would-be writer suddenly escorted by someone he may or may not have slighted years ago to stay on this place, with only an eccentric research team for company in a distant shack…except that once he’s there, it’s the same day on repeat.
From there, Florence Noble is one to join him, and of course, getting out doesn’t quite go as planned. The budget here may be low, but things are still used wisely—you’ve got a desolate landscape that looks like it’s placed out of time as it is, you’ve got the overwhelming sense of isolation that comes with that, and a good location can do much of the work in filmmaking as anything else can. You’ve got a fun cast—Aristeguieta is someone who starts off playing a dude who at first might seem self-serving, but of course there comes those moments of compassion to go with that…even if you’re not quite sure how far they really go.
And, of course, not to spoil things too much, but let’s just say after that comes the question of just who would you give up if it meant freedom for yourself? It’s something that, in all sorts of situations, might be closer to home than you think…
The only real stumble for me was near the end, where I felt it could’ve ended just a couple minutes sooner. Still, for something made with not much at hand but making the most of the premise, it’s certainly solid for a casual watch—check it out if you can.
Comments
Post a Comment