The Empty Building

The Empty building is a really terrific motion picture. Not only is the imagery extremely captivating, the story in a weird way catches you by surprise. You do know you're in for something big after watching the brief story up front and only after watching the entire movie did I fully understand these were individual stories presented under one title. In hindsight, this was rather crafty to do. I won't get into the details, I'd hate to give anything more away and it sure is tough to explain within these narrow margins but the connection between a person and this empty building sets up nicely.

The second story begins seemingly uneventful and takes its time being introduced, although the setup is so out there, you just watch because it's really nutty in a profound way. I found great curiosity wondering where it was all going. And then like a hidden crevice you fall right in with the reality of what this story is all about. I must say, there have been other stories about this topic, but not like this.

I think any story within the empty building would be as inventive as what I watched here and in the end there is explicitly a hint of more topics to come. I hope this makes sense when I say; the biggest story about the empty building is the empty building itself and the topics within are wonderful furnishings. This film is a winner, a true testament to storytelling.

I do not know exactly what to say for I have never done this, but the movie was stunning. The Great Lakes Film Fest in Erie, Pennsylvania was showing it this year and luckily I had the chance to escape Florida for a while to attend. I have never gone to any type of film festival, so this was quite an experience. There were good movies shown and, of course, a handful of...well, not-so-good movies. The Empty Building was definitely one of the top films. As a side note, the actor/director/writer/... was such a nice guy; he really does appreciate the fans. He is a passionate man and it is really shown in his work.

I'd recommend seeing this film. It is not a waste of time at all. Absolutely beautiful. If you have the chance to obtain a copy, please do so. Share it with your friends. It is worth it.

I saw this film a few years ago while I was screening flicks at the Newport Beach Film Festival. I still remember it and it was great. The direction and imagery laid over the misery of past events seemed almost natural as I was watching it. The audience is connected to the characters through the intense direction of the film and we wish we could save the characters someone from their past fate. The film keeps the audience connected to the characters throughout all shots and intervals. A great director is the making. Everything comes together in the films - the score coupled with the great direction, imagery and actors leads to a great short about such a horrible experience. I look forward to seeing more of his stuff.

Caught the film at the Gotham Short Film Festival a couple of weeks ago. I was blown away by the story and art filled scenes-- one beauty after another. Strong contents involving the mind set of people having todeal with their early years where problems occurred, big big problems. All within this weird building where anything goes. Excellent Production values from top to bottom. This film is strange and gets stranger by the minute but there's something there that keeps you watching.

Great acting from the director Govanni Sanseviero. This man has talent in many fields. This film works!

Giovanni Sanseviero has created a truly unique film that uses theatrical devices and a limited amount of dialogue to tell a complex, non-linear story in which the building of the title allows visitors to face buried traumatic experiences. Few first films possess the insight, depth, visual artistry or genuine compassion evident in The Empty Building. The story does not unfold in a straightforward manner, for neither does anyone's personal healing process. Flashback settings are artificially constructed within the building, suggesting the architectural aspect of recalling past incidents.

Sanseviero is not afraid to take his time as a storyteller and avoids obvious methods of exposition. As an actor, Sanseviero honestly portrays Benny's emotional struggle without resorting to any obvious theatrics. His performance matches the subtlety and depth of the film surrounding it. Yet Sanseviero is not out to impress. He has a story to tell and engages the viewer with this need.