Chain NYC Film Festival: Thriller Shorts 1

Blue Square
Directed by Tom Smith, who also co-wrote the story with John Rheiner, Blue Square dives into one man’s obsession with creating the simplest, most valuable piece of art he can. After discovering the lucrative business of contemporary fine art, Tim (Alex Matossian) is so consumed with the artistic process and his need to become rich that we witness his separation from reality and, at times, something even more sinister. Blue Square will make you realize that obsessions can easily veer towards a very dark path. I enjoyed that the film also brought in a touch of humor within Tim’s journey for acceptance of his creative process, allowing some good laughs to break up the tension.

Cameo
Written by Ryan G. Kelly and Emily Yelverton (who also served as producers on the film and Kelly as director) Cameo follows graduate student Rebecca (Sarah Schoofs) as she begins to question her reality since receiving a mysterious necklace. We learn that Rebecca is navigating the pressure of school, stress and anxiety and the steadiness of her relationship. When reality seems to bend around her, it leaves viewers to question what is real and what is in her mind or merely delusions. Cameo takes you into Rebecca’s world where you can sense the panic, the fear of rejection and the longing of acceptance. The short film is creatively told with intense camera angles and will leave you wanting to know more.

Give It Back
Give It Back, written, directed and produced by Andy Scott, shows us that sometimes old memories aren’t always long forgotten and can still affect us even years later. Two siblings (Noah Pyzik and Marissa Tolero) pack up their childhood home, rediscovering a memory that wants something back. This short film illustrates that a shared memory amongst the siblings has a different effect on each of them, allowing us to better understand who they are now in the present and what kind of bond they have. Give It Back will have you forming your own potential story behind the memory.

Penny
Rachel S. Thomas-Medwid’s short film Penny delivers an important story of how mental illness can affect a family and an individual. Directed by Thomas-Medwid and produced by Jacob Christiansen, Penny seamlessly blends two different timelines of adult Penny and young Penny in its less than sixteen-minute runtime. Penny (Charlie Carr), a female chef, struggles to fight dark impulses, as memories of her mentally ill mother (Alyson Muzila) bleed into her current life. The film tackles serious subject matter but allows the audience some relief with its use of humor at Penny’s attempts to find romantic connections. Penny is beautifully shot and has great attention to detail.

Script
It’s hard to believe that Script, with a runtime of only approximately eight minutes, could deliver the thrills and laughs that it gave me, but it successfully did just that. Written, directed and produced by Piero Cannata, the international film from Italy packed a lot in its brief runtime, keeping the pace fluid and its audience enraptured. Script brings us two screenwriters, a ghost story and a night that goes endlessly on. The short film has great comedic flair and perfectly timed suspenseful moments, all intricately woven together with its dramatized art of storytelling.

Through The Trees
Glen Covell’s short film Through The Trees (which he directed and co-wrote with Julia Barrett-Mitchell and also co-produced alongside Steve Morey) is a thriller short about a hiker who realizes that she may not be as alone in the forest as she originally thought. Holly (Maria Wood) escapes to the wilderness for a peaceful and rejuvenating day, which soon turns into a literal quest for “escape” from whatever may be out there with her. Through The Trees keeps you in a state of suspense as you trek alongside Holly, fearful of what you’ll find at each turn.