A meeting at a locked door spurs on a tense conversation with images through a peephole. As the argument intensifies in the cold and gray building, we learn what is truly holding back the inhabitants to opening up the door to each other.
Combining elements of science fiction and horror, director Burak Kum crafts a visually engaging and experimental tale set in a dingy landscape. With visuals appearing through the view of a large peephole, the mystery of what has caused these two people to come together and what is separating them starts the short on an undeniably tense note. Impressively, at only a few minutes long, “Earth” leaves a lasting impact utilizing unique choices in narrative and visuals.
Story wise, the short contains some repetitive dialogue that gives the sense of a long running conflict between the two subjects, with demands to be let in fluctuating between kind and confrontational. However, as the reason behind the separation becomes apparent, the audience is presented with an outcome that can be seen as either horrific or tragic . Personally, I lean towards tragedy with the short reflecting the inability of people to communicate with the walls they build, both personally and culturally. However, other viewers may not arrive at the same conclusion which gives the short valid talking points in spite of its short runtime.
Director Burak Kum proved to have an eye for experimental visual storytelling with his short film “Absurd Man“. While “Earth” is drastically different in tone from the upbeat comedy of that title, his ability to apply a unique and quirky aesthetic shows his inventiveness can be applied to different genres. Ultimately, experimentation in style comes across as pristine in both productions, showing Kum to be a unique talent in the short film format.
Leading off of limited dialogue, the performances are adequate for what was required to express the message. Furthermore, the intensity of the actors is heightened by experimental cinematography over raw performance. Overall, Kum's ability to heighten his actors performances through camerawork and editing marks an admirable feat.
An inventive outing from Burak Kum, “Earth” makes me want to see more of the directors work and see how he will eventually handle longer projects utilizing his particular approach to storytelling.
