Is it possible to tell a compelling story about love, loss and heartbreak in about 18 minutes with minimal dialogue? In the case of "If Only For a Moment", the answer is a resounding YES!
I am very impressed with the simplicity of the story. There are only three characters, and minimal dialogue, yet creator/writer/lead actress Janel Tanna tells a complete, touching story about two people who fall in love, and experience the same problems and heartaches that all of us are faced with. I will not give away any plot details here. All I will say is that despite having seen the film several times, I am still impressed with simple yet moving story.
Tanna, who is also the lead actress, and Amanda Damron as her co- star, both do an excellent job and bring us from the beginning of their relationship, all the way through to it's conclusion in a very candid, realistic way. I found the story to be extremely believable, and the two actresses could be people you know. The direction is ably handled by Larry Rosen who again, in line with the script, keeps it simple. I loved the long, lingering shots, and the subtle camera movements. The cinematography is also top notch for an indie short film. In fact, everything about the film is impressive for an independent short. The sound editing and soundtrack are perfect as well.
What is truly impressive is that this film was shot and edited as part of a 72 hour film challenge. I've seen a great many films made as part of challenges or competitions that turn out to be, well, as good as you might expect. In the case of "If Only For A Moment" though, I found it hard to believe that a film of this quality was completed in only 72 hours.
This is definitely one indie film to watch. It has already been nominated for a few awards and I will not be surprised if it wins many!
