The Separation Short Film Review

★★★★★

Directed by: #FraserWatson

Starring: #NathaliaCampbell-Smith

Short Film Review by: Alexandra James

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The Separation is a dark short horror film that tells the story of a woman called Sheila Anderson. Sheila is a north London theatre worker who also manages the media for a charity. As the audience begin to learn more about Sheila and her life, it becomes quickly apparent that she has experienced trauma and provides the viewer with an in-depth monologue of her life and this horrific incident. The camera angle is an extreme close-up of Sheila’s lips, this is a key cinematic technique and crucial to the narrative as the audience can feel uncomfortable as well as invasive in a way, as if the audience are in Sheila’s personal space unable to get away, aligning with her story, and the pain she felt from having her own space violated.

The Separation made for an uneasy watch and was extremely disturbing in places, which ultimately is compelling and draws us in further, wanting to know this character’s background and what makes her tick. There were scenes that broke up the intense monologue of Sheila, they sometimes reflected her words or showed her walking slowly in darkness with just a candle as the only source of light. There were also small snippets of what appeared to be an abandoned hospital, and her alone acting out her hurt emotions. This helped to break up the intensity, however, kept our discomfort at an all time high. As we start to learn about Sheila’s work life and relationship with friend Carla, the story becomes heavier, and it is hard to determine reality from fiction. This is when the story becomes a twisted psychological thriller, as we begin to question who in the story is a real character or just a figment of Shelia’s imagination.

My only comment would be on the length of the story, although you become hooked on Sheila’s words, when you are completely glued to just one single scene such as the close-up of her lips, your mind begins to wander and lose track of the characters and storyline. What allowed me to stay connected were the cutaway scenes away from the close-up. This added to the twisty element of the narrative and gave the film a real dark edge. As Sheila gets deeper and deeper into her story, the audience cannot help but become sucked into this horrific world, following the character, and experiencing everything she has in such detail enabling you to build this storyline so clearly in your mind.

Directed by Fraser Watson and written by Dan Horrigan, The Separation focuses on the human psyche at its most vulnerable, after a traumatising event. It highlights the ways in which our behaviour and senses can become so damaged and the struggle of navigating yourself through this tumultuous time. A great, compelling, and frightening short film that keeps you on the edge of your seat.