Although there are plenty of examples of features involving the idea of hinting at something, rather then stating it openly, the art of subtlety is largely lost, at least when it comes to mainstream cinema. Especially when it comes to human emotion or longing, it can be a moment, a seemingly banal item or even the expression you have when no one is looking, which can give away much of what is going on in our lives. Given the structure of short features, there are some interesting examples exercising the art of subtlety and relying on visuals rather than any other means to express a variety of things. One such example is certainly “Naked Bulb” by Mongolian filmmaker Zoljargal Purevdash, a feature about loneliness, temptation and the craving to be close to somebody.
Naked Bulb is screening Busan International Short Film Festival
A woman (Nomin Batbayar) lives with her daughter in a small apartment. Her husband is working abroad, and, although they chat each evening, she longs for him to be around her. At the same, time she tries to keep the place clean and orderly, a condition somewhat disturbed by the bathroom light which will not work properly, no matter how many light bulbs she buys. As her landlord (Tamir Narmandakh) comes to fix the problem and also exchange a broken window in her place, she senses an attraction to him, and is uncertain whether she should give in to the temptation or not.
As indicated in the opening of this review, Purevdash’s feature relies on its visuals to tell the story, with only a few bits of dialogue. Considering the main character spends most of her time in the apartment, the camera presents the place as prison-like, with the walls seemingly closing in on the woman – a feeling which only intensifies as she is unable to fix the light in the bathroom. The images as well as Batbayar’s performance express a longing, not necessarily for a male companion or a sexual encounter, but for something out of the ordinary and, especially, out of this apartment.
In the end, “Naked Bulb” is a visually interesting example of subtle storytelling, which also succeeds thanks to the main performance by Nomin Batbayar.
