There is a fierce competition going on every night in the woods, a secret ritualistic meeting of disenfranchised businessmen. Each armed with a shovel, their challenge is to dig for as long as they can. The nightly competition attracts a nameless and silent protagonist, an office worker who spends his days fantasizing about the act of digging. He must face some fierce competition in order to make it to the top and beat the man who silently watches over the event.
“Digger” is screening as part of My Darling Quarantine Festival
“Digger” sets the example of one of the greatest attributes of absurdist comedy, that the most mundane task can evolve into something deeply engaging. The production, which is void of any dialogue, really elevates the task of digging a hole and turns into a comedic power struggle. A lot of the comedy is established through the ritualistic nature of the event, which seems to consist of liturgical performances and elaborately planned duels, giving the sense of a long running secretive rite reserved for the elite.
The absurd comedic style is balanced out by strong cinematography, which helps push the perception of the serious nature of the event from the participant's perspective. For a forest full of shirtless men, dancing and facing off in digging holes, the comedy comes solely from the concept. Yagawa's work in this department creates a nice contradiction to the characters' actions, which are difficult to understand. Overall, Yagawa showcases a keen eye for strong visuals, and lets the humor come from the script instead of using ‘zany' camera angles and zooms to try to establish a comedic tone (a common trope within bad comedic films).
It was difficult to image such a mundane task play out in such a humorous fashion, but I was pleasantly surprised by Kengo Yagawa's short film. I would challenge viewers to get through this short film without cracking a smile, it is that charming and funny. As a bonus, the visual aspect helps the comedy and forces the audience to take the plight of the young businessman with a degree of seriousness. “Digger” is a comedic gem that should not be missed
