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Short Film Review: STAY-AT-HOME MOM (2019) by Sadiq

Thank to this 9.18min movie, we have the occasion of spending a short time in a house where a mysterious woman () lives. Is she the mom of the title? Probably yes. From the POV of the semi-fixed camera – at the bottom of a flight of stairs – we witness a lot of movements, back and forward from the front door that seems to be situated near the camera. At first she lets a man in and, according to some faint moaning, we suppose they have sex (or a hair waxing session, maybe?). Then at some point she goes up the stairs with a knife and blood-stained hands. Has she just killed a passer-by? Has she beheaded a chicken for dinner? Has she gutted her own child? We are not supposed to know, and it is probably better this way! At the end the two get ready (I.e. put their sunglasses on) and go out.

The film has an irritating element that risks to compromise the whole enjoyment as it features a very annoying, very loud television, always on, in the background, delivering the only lines of dialogue of the film. It risks to drive mad anyone at the end of the short 9 minutes. I am not sure why it so loud and if the loudness has a meaning in the narrative, (or is it just bad sound design?). Also, I am not sure if the black and white old film that we can see (and hear) on the television is part of the context, because if it is, it does get lost in translation for non-Malay viewers.

I can see a desire for expression and a creative sparkle and I hope that after this amusing kickoff the director will get his head down and start working with determination toward his film-making goals.

About the author

Adriana Rosati

On paper I am an Italian living in London, in reality I was born and bread in a popcorn bucket. I've loved cinema since I was a little child and I’ve always had a passion and interest for Asian (especially Japanese) pop culture, food and traditions, but on the cinema side, my big, first love is Hong Kong Cinema. Then - by a sort of osmosis - I have expanded my love and appreciation to the cinematography of other Asian countries. I like action, heroic bloodshed, wu-xia, Shaw Bros (even if it’s not my specialty), Anime, and also more auteur-ish movies. Anything that is good, really, but I am allergic to rom-com (unless it’s a HK rom-com, possibly featuring Andy Lau in his 20s)"

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