We at GoSeeTalk really love short films. Why? Well, it’s because we appreciate the art to telling a story in a concise way. After all, it was Shakespeare who famously said, “brevity is the soul of wit.” But beyond entertainment, these projects can serve as a means to tell a larger story, so a short can be a glimpse into that world, or maybe just a proof of concept. Hell, even Encino Man did it that way.
Now, more seriously, this hyper-focused look at the important/essential beats showcases the core of the narrative, and why say something in ten words when you can do it in four, right? While that describes most short films, it really heightens the experiences in director Parker Croft‘s latest story.
The film imagines a not too distant future where a groundbreaking but highly addictive and lethal black market drug (called Amesten) allows people to connect with loved ones who have passed away. But these aren’t past memories or a living photo album. Through extremely lucid dreams users have new experiences with their kids, parents, anyone and it’s so addictive that it’s downright deadly. In the film, we find one user, Lila, who is in recovery and this drug has reached epidemic proportions. The allure of the drug’s ability to help broken people cope with loss is too compelling to make them stop despite the damaging side effects. We don’t want to spoil it for you, but believe us, the short is just incredible. Eye opening, heartbreaking, and breathtaking.
We were quite taken with As Easy As Closing Your Eyes. It’s a sci-fi short – the type you’d see on the YouTube channel, DUST, but way more down to Earth. We loved the story for a number of reasons, and chief among them is how it tied a very emotional human experience to an implied and low-level of science fiction. Croft, and co-writer Aaron Golden deftly add a layer of believable technology to their small-scale world-building that feels cohesive, and tangible. It is what we like to call “sly sci-fi” that is more idea driven and walks confidently in the same lane as Mike Cahill and other contemporary storytellers.
Now it’s worth stating that a short film is no small undertaking. You still have the same trades and craft teams you would on a full feature; it just has a shorter runtime. Of those trades, the music is absolutely essential to this story, and composer Mandy Hoffman brings some sensitivity to Croft’s credibility with a few well-placed piano keys. The simplicity of her note selections reap immeasurable bounty. It brings a palpable gravity to this world of broken people who inevitably become Amesten users/abusers. Hoffman’s work is able to achieve true warmth, and it is most effective in the tender moments of this tragic tale.
Enjoy our time with Parker and Mandy, and be sure to check this out as it begins its festival run in July.
On the eve of her late son’s birthday, LILA attends a group meeting for people addicted to Amesten, a new blackmarket drug that gives its users life-like dreams about the ones they’ve lost. Though the drug has exacted a terrible toll on her, her sobriety still only hangs by a thread. As she prepares to celebrate Bodie’s birthday with her brother Kiernan, the temptation to see Bodie again begins to overwhelm her and she must choose whether to finally let go of an impossible dream or follow the light of her life into darkness.
