Descry

What an amazing little film! It makes you think about stereotypes and real racial tensions in ways that I haven't seen in a long time, and definitely not in such an artistic fashion. The performances are moving and the filmmaking/writing is superb! My only critique is that I would've loved to have seen even more of these issues brought to light... other races, etc. But it is a short. Perhaps it should be made into a feature length film, and we could follow one or more of the characters outside of the diner. I loved the main character, perhaps he can be the focus of a longer plot. Or maybe there's a "Crash" like element in the longer plot, focusing on all of the characters in the diner. Keep up the great work!

A relevant, passionate and provocative tale about racial and individual identity seen through the lens of personal perspective and expectations. This story of a man's seemingly innocent experience at a diner unfolds rapidly as he confronts other people's judgments and racism as well as his own perceptions of himself. The tightly knit cast work well to create a constant tension that carries itself to a conclusion that will leave you questioning the expectations society places on an individual as well as the more often harsher expectations we place on ourselves. Descry is, unfortunately, a timeless story of prejudice that society doesn't seem to be any closer to healing or overcoming.

I was lucky enough to see Descry at The Holly Shorts film festival in their prime time block. Descry is as poignant as it is intense. The acting is raw and real, never shying away from the painful truth about the subject matter. Taking inspiration from The Dutchman, a play written in the 60's during the peak in the fight for civil rights, Descry shows what life can all too often be for a young black man in America. Visually, it looks beautiful and there is something about the juxtaposition between the bright sunny day in the background and the darkness that unfolds, that affects me. I would love to see all the players, especially Jenna Bleecker and Quincy Ndekwe, on the big screen again and look forward to more great work by David Yohe and the rest of the talented crew.

Oh man, what a powerful short film this is. This is the type of film that needs to be told today. With everything going on in our world, and in America in particular, people should be making and watching these types of films. Towards the end of the short, I got chills watching Quincy speak directly to me/the audience. I felt his pain and his struggle.

A painfully realistic overview of issues our country is dealing with today. This film will be important for a very long time. Overall, the short is very well written, directed and truly beautifully acted. The film depicts rich and real characters. It tells so much in so short of a time. Great work all around!

Great film. Well acted. It speaks multi-layered to the issues of our times. It deals head-on with race and identity. It also speaks smartly on judgment we can easily inflict. The performances were surprisingly raw. The writing kept us guessing, many twists and turns. The cinematography was rich. The editing clear and well cut. It's difficult for a short film to surprise us these days. This film did exactly that. Never went too long, and definitely not too short. The quick pace also kept the audience guessing. Pivotal depths reached by the lead actor. Unflinching, in your face drama, but the audience never backed down, and neither did the film. I am proud of being an actor and filmmaker when I see films like this out there. Motivates me to do more.