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★★★
Directed by: Steven Adam Renkovish
Written by: Steven Adam Renkovish
Starring: Brittany Renee, Justin Livingston, Mary Miles Kokotek, Rachel Sims Jackson
An isolated woman struggles to deal with her emotions following a terrible tragedy.
Lilith (Renee) lives by herself in a house, rarely going out. She has been deeply traumatized after experiencing the loss of her partner Noah (Livingston). She has distanced herself from everyone, spending a great deal of time inside her home, by herself, mourning and been tormented by nightmares. Although she keeps in touch with her mother (Kokotek) and attends a study group meeting with acquaintances, her psychological state does not improve and she does not seem able to escape from the dark place she is in.
This dark, dramatic feature contains elements of psychological horror and mystery. It brings the audience into the mind of a troubled individual, who appears to be mixing reality with illusion. Overall, the mood is downbeat, with most of the film observing the sad, lonely state Lilith has ended up in, looking in depth into how she tries to cope. She is constantly upset, lights candles before placing them around the house and observes objects that are dear to her, such as a photo of her and Noah and a cross necklace. The film also explores the unstable relationship she has with her mum and the ups and downs between her and Noah. There is plenty of drama and the feeling of isolation that the main character goes through.
The narrative is nonlinear, repeatedly cutting back and forth through time, between Lilith dealing with her grief and spending time with Noah, during past happier times.
Renee delivers a sentimental performance as an emotionally damaged person, whose life has gone downhill due to tragedy. Her character is well-meaning but unable to help herself. Livingston is moving as her partner, who is a good person and is also dealing with his own personal issues.
The score is one of the strongest aspects of the movie. It is tense, haunting and dramatic, creating an atmosphere filled with dread and despair. The soundtrack also includes pieces of opera and classical music. The voice-over also adds to the drama.
There are various interesting and well constructed montages that include stills and make effective use of dissolve and superimposition techniques.
This feature looks into themes of family, trauma, isolation, regrets and religion. It focuses on the life of a troubled woman, who appears to be losing her grip on reality. At times, the pace is a bit too slow and the acting by some of the supporting characters is not very convincing, however this is still an interesting accomplishment.
Trailer for The Awakening of Lilith:
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