Caroline

Cries, runs, sweats. Hot, isolated, scared. Three children were being left in a car alone under the burning sun during summer Texas. Six-year-old Caroline had to take the responsibility of caring for her younger siblings when their mom leaves them for a job interview. Through the noisy background sounds of cars, cries, and the sweat marks on children's clothes, the film "Caroline" established a nerve-racking scenario for viewers through little details to significant symbols. The short film "Caroline" released in 2018, delivered a powerful message that raised the audience's awareness of current societal issues, where it demonstrated the hopelessness of a single mom who is in desperate need of a job to raise her three children herself. Celine Held, who played the mom, made her character come to life through her influencing acting, which brings the audiences to feel hopeless, worried and guilt along with her. Celine and Logan, the two directors, strived to establish a close connection with the three excellent child actors: Caroline, Brooks and Sally, by moving in with the children for a period of time. There is no question about the amount of care and work they had put into this film, and the final work is truly a masterpiece.

The film used mature shooting techniques such as tilted angles and higher angles which demonstrated the perspective of innocent children when in the face of fear and the missing of guardians. Though mainly focused on children, audiences could also connect with the mom's perspective and agree with the lady who helped the children. Overall, such complex ideas and details had been discussed perfectly in the short 12 minutes.

After I finish watching it, my eyes were filled with tears. It was heartbreaking for me to see three small children being left alone in a car and disappointed by the lack of care our society has for single mothers. The film used many details such as Caroline's wiggling tooth and the mom's smudged eyeliner that every time I watch the film again, it shocks me how relatable it is to many current real-life issues. Though Celine and Logan had done a perfect job of filming and acting, the ending of this film was not what I had expected. The film ended so suddenly that it did not give me time to recover from the chaos and had made me feel a little disappointed. In the end, "Caroline" is a significant piece of work that is impactful and worth watching. I would recommend this film to anyone because no matter their age, they would all learn from this film and interpret the message behind this film differently.

12 minutes of tension and uncertainty heightened by the blazing sun and the intermittent cries from the children. The short film "Caroline" follows of a young girl, Caroline, as her desperate mother is forced to leave her and her siblings alone in an attempt to secure a job during her job interview. Her mother leaves them in the car during a hot summer day. The issue arising when their babysitter does not pick them up as planned and they are instead approached by a stranger with unknown intentions while their mother is absent.

The film uses close-ups and tilted frames along with a shaky camera as it portrays a stressfully realistic scenario. The camera techniques does not allow you to get a clear and calm image of the situation, allowing one to be fully immersed in the emotions of the young girl. It ties in with the emotions of Caroline as the story is told through her limited and child-like perspective. The cries of her baby siblings as well as her harried yet caring mother's desperation adds to the crafting of the tension and unease Caroline feels when confronted with the unfamiliar situation. It is about Caroline. Her emotions and perspectives regarding the events, leaving her and the audience much in the dark to the specific details (a child's innocence and ignorance) of the events occurring while still leaving enough evidence for the audience to comprehend more fully what a child cannot.

With sensational acting from the characters, Catherine Held playing the mother in a convincing and moving play with the young girl. The film displays the dilemma of what a person must do what the best decision would be as they are backed into a corner or left with no options or proper aid.

Every time I watch this 12 minute short, it brings me to tears! The anxiety of the situation in this short film had me sitting on the edge of my seat. The emotional roller coaster brought out the mama bear in me and the cliff hanger left me wanting more. God forbid you're in this situation and how horrible for the moms that are!

No wonder this short has won so many awards, it is a brilliant made film. So intensive and filled with emotion, what all films should be!

Close up shots, sweat, tears and a confined space. It's tense.

Caroline is a nerve-wracking short film directed by Logan George and Celine Held centered around a six year old girl who's mothers is in distress and the responsibilities of looking after her siblings have fallen upon her. Caroline's mother is in need of a job and the film begins with the family in the car on the way to what seems to be a job interview on a very hot day. Being the only adult, Caroline's mother must leave her children in the car in hopes that a six year old will be able to handle anything that may arise during the time that she is gone. 3 young children alone, inside of a hot car with no AC on. Attention is drawn to them and tension rises as the film progresses.

Caroline is a film that keeps you on your toes, creates tension and makes you uncomfortable in the best way possible. The sweat, uncomfortable movement and the cry of the children all serve to keep the audience invested in each scene.

Although it had a little bit of a lackluster ending, the film successfully kept me interested in the storyline. I would recommend it to older audiences who are able to understand the struggle of the mother and the burden that is constantly put on this 6 year old child so that they may better comprehend the film as a whole. .