Stuck inside due to a global pandemic, a freelance writer struggles to come up with content to keep himself employed. After a few frustrating interactions, the man turns desperate and wants to escape, but a well timed reminder of the power of the written word stirs him out of his stupor.
“Almost A Film” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
Exploring one man's breakdown during lockdown has, sadly, become a reoccurring theme among many short film makers looking to still practice their craft while under restrictions. As a result, there have been a plethora of short films exploring life in quarantine with many more misfires than hits. Arab Kumar Kar & Indrani Adak's “Almost a Film”, while not really offering anything original, works well within its self enforced limitations to leave a favorable impression.
The success of the short can largely be contributed to the editing process, as the confined space is still well explored with varying camera angles, spliced together to create a strong sense of tension. Additionally, the sound design is complimentary in being well balanced with the music, and the score itself fitting the narrative well.
The story will hold some appeal to creative types who have experienced the maddening frustration of a block, and some of the humor of trying to sell your craft for profit. Otherwise, the story is not bound to connect to the majority of audiences, doing nothing to transcend the simplicity of the concept. The only exception to the mundane sentiment comes from a positive conclusion, which celebrates the ability of the creative spirit to thrive under any circumstances.
Ultimately, “Almost a Film” does enough to stand out among the massive amount of Covid inspired cinema, while falling short of standing on its own merit outside of the ‘genre'.
