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★★★★
Directed by: #JordanBlady
Written by: #BadaDiaby
Starring: Bad’a Diaby
Talent.
Sheer talent.
That was the only thought left in my head by the end of Jordan Blady’s short film Somebody. Like a rollercoaster, the film moves so quickly it can feel a little overwhelming with all of its visual and audible stimuli, and there is no denying the absolute skill that Somebody’s contributors wield. With gorgeous cinematography, editing, scenery, and performance, it is a terrific showcase of talent. A visual representation of a poem by Bad’a Diaby said to address ‘Gen Z’s longing for clarity and guidance’, Blady forgoes a structured narrative favouring a more surrealist approach.
Poetry is commonly known to have different interpretations so while Somebody’s source material initially may be intended towards a younger generation, Blady’s vision allows its themes to become universal. To some, the film may seem like a series of avant-garde images with no singular meaning but the elegance of its presentation grabs your attention regardless. Somebody is a film of identity and isolation with Diaby’s performance front and centre reciting the poem through voice-over as different tableau’s capture her character’s struggle.
Shot on Kodak film, cinematographer Igor Smitka crafts Somebody’s visuals splendidly it pulls you into Blady’s vision immediately, making the film dreamlike for the audience. I’m not a puritan when it comes to cameras, its definitely more about how you use it than what you use and damn if Smitka doesn’t use the hell out of his camera. The picture is rich, beautifully lit, brimming with character and depth, with the gliding Steadicam and static shots feeling kinetic throughout the edit. The aesthetics of the clothing, makeup, and set felt reminiscent of stylised Neo-noirs akin to Neil Jordan’s Mona Lisa (1986), even with its surrealist imagery and themes Somebody’s visuals feel ‘lived in’.
The work from clothing stylist Dominika Kozakova and set designer Aya Katonova enhance that ‘lived in’ aesthetic greatly. Everything in Blady’s direction feels meticulously planned as his collaborators have Diaby’s character appearance feel striking. Sequins, fur coats, pantsuits and dresses, Kozakova makes Somebody’s ninety seconds into a fashion show. Every new ensemble Diaby wears is elegant but also reinforces the identity motif, all of these facets unsure of who they are and what their place is. The image of the many Diaby’s exiting and entering an elevator has significance in showing the possible but repetitive journeys we all make in trying to understand our place in the world; an endless cycle.
Diaby’s character is haunted by a spectre, a figure whose face is obscured by a metal mask covering the eyes. The figure is seen in the hills, the home and the tunnel and takes on a foreboding presence, the poem’s recurring line “You don’t know who you are or where you belong until you meet somebody” now seeming more ominous than encouraging. Blady’s direction encourages diverse interpretations, so whether Diaby’s character is fearful to learn these answers, with the figure serving as an embodiment of unknown or perhaps a person from her past, now haunting her, the cinematic imagery can inspire different interpretations. Blady’s direction accomplishes in elevating Bad’a Diaby’s poem Somebody to a new medium in a quickly paced, visually and thematically compelling film that leaves an impression on its audience.
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