Channel: Short of the Week

Category: Film & Animation

Tags: short of the weekimprov gamesshort filmsfilmmakingimprovbritish comedyshort filmbest short filmsindie filmmakertwo truths and a lieclassindie filmimprov classindie short

Description: Things turn sour when an amateur improv group meet for the first time, as one of the group misjudges the situation. A selection of Short of the Week, the web's leading curators of quality short films. SUBMIT A FILM: shortoftheweek.com/submit FULL REVIEW: shortoftheweek.com/2021/11/22/doughnut Subscribe to S/W on YouTube! Website: shortoftheweek.com Instagram: instagram.com/ShortoftheWeek Facebook: facebook.com/shortoftheweek Twitter: twitter.com/shortoftheweek Doughnut Directed by Larry Ketang & Liam White falsetoothfilms.com/doughnut "Patrick has just joined an improv class where as an ice breaker they play two truths and a lie. The evening takes an unexpected turn after his contribution to the game, leaving things quite awry. With their thematically complex film Doughnut, co-directors Liam White and Larry Ketang leave the audience with lots to unpack. Thought provoking, it raises multiple questions and purposely allows each viewer to have a unique perspective on what to make of it. Having discussed this film with many people, I found it quite incredible how we all get affected by the film differently and which nuance of the screenplay was the most effective on each one of us. Which is why we were so keen on hearing from the screenwriter (and co-director) Liam White and were not surprised when he admitted that many themes contributed to the general concept of the film. He shared that the idea that upon meeting someone we take what they say at face value, and how it leaves room for manipulation was his initial starting point which triggered a deeper reflection on lies: “As time goes on, and we get to know someone better, the area in which we are able to lie starts to shrink, or at least shift” yet “what people ‘know’ and think about you is shaped so much by what you say”. While this lying game in such a setting brings together the perfect canvas for such a dark comedy and is fascinating from an anthropological point of view, it also subtly touches on the idea of should people who have served their time be forgiven and can we laugh about everything. As previously mentioned, the film can be interpreted in many ways, with some audience members leaning more towards the comedy, while others would be more horrified with a general sense ranging from awkwardness all the way to being uncomfortable. Which was the intent of the filmmakers: “And when I ask people ‘OK, what’s Doughnut about?’, I get a different answer every time”. For such a convoluted screenplay to be effective, the audience has to remain engaged throughout the film. To take the audience on this wild ride, both White and Ketang chose an immersive approach with DP Gareth Bowler, with a cinematography that places the audience in the room as if we were a part of that group. The film is clearly structured in two parts, with the first one playing with lighter comedy, the improv group and the awkwardness of meeting for the first time, yet it adds a dash of that dark humor with the first woman who plays. A little bit before the halfway mark, the tone drastically changes and so does the visual style and the framing. They manufacture a tension that complements the dark turn the evening took, and the close ups echo how all of a sudden everyone who heard Patrick is taken aback and is now fully alert. While the chemistry between the actors captures how odd it is to start a new activity, especially as an adult. The second part of the film heavily relies on Corin Silva’s performance, as he goes from playing the game to defending himself in a situation where no one is willing to listen to what he has to say. Given the mounting tension in the room, the film ends on a quite anticlimactic note yet his performance wraps the film on a more emotionally compelling level giving the audience the room to analyze what they’ve just witnessed. Since Doughnut, the filmmakers have shot four new shorts! Keep your eyes out on the festival circuit for Tick Tick Tick, Punch-Drunk, Pickles and Department of Necrosis. They are currently at the funding stage of a new short. - S/W Curator Céline Roustan DOP - Gareth Bowler Sound Engineer - Martyn Ellis Colour Grade - Andrew McKee Key Cast - Lee Fenwick, Nadia Emam, Corin Silva Reproduced on this channel with the permission of the filmmakers.