Chrysalis

"Chrysalis" is a short film that beautifully portrays transformation. It portrays the victory of good over evil and the gap between birth and death. It shows the formula of destruction in one hand, and reconstitution on the other hand. The film portrays weirdness on one hand, and on the other hand, it brings serenity, beauty, and birth of a new life. This film can fit in the genres of experimental, postmodern, occult, religious, spiritual, mystical, hermetic, cult, metaphysical.

"Chrysalis" is an experimental film by first-time filmmaker Nic Nassuet; a multi-ethnic, disabled, veteran, award-winning songwriter and recording artist. "Chrysalis" has its roots in the alchemical process of transmutation as experienced via the transition from the military into civilian life as a disabled veteran. The film was created for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's (LACMA) Veterans Make Movies program in which veterans study filmmaking and create their own short films for the museum's archives in just eight weeks.

"Chrysalis" is the only movie of any length to have ever filmed on location in the tombs beneath the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. Through the intention imbued into every effect, color, sound, click, knock, angle, set, and frame, the cycles of creation, sustenance, and destruction, are exemplified as are the Masonic, Rosicrucian, and Eastern mysteries as they relate to the "Solve et Coagula" formula of destruction and reconstitution.

The title "Chrysalis" is necessarily written entirely in capital letters. This is because the external state of Chrysalis is outwardly still and silent, while the internal state is one of noise and ordered chaos.

Overall, the film carries a message of cultural understanding. That though we do not understand each other's language, we can make out what one has to say through gestures, colors, and symbols and moods. For example, when we see the color red we understand that it either means danger or happiness. The color white symbolizes peace and mourning. In the eastern culture white means death, while in the western culture black symbolizes death and white is for peace. Whenever we tell people to keep quite we put our finger in our mouth telling others to keep quite.

Therefore, the Director Nic Nassuet through his debut film tries to portray the ideas of destruction and formation. Though the film is difficult to understand, it carries an in-depth meaning. It shows the whole cycle of life. "Chrysalis" portrays the process of creation, sustenance, and destruction.

It cannot be ignored that the film can be made better, but as a debut film, it's worth watching. Unique story, really good direction made the film quite interesting. Though people cannot understand the film for the first time, surely arouses the interest of the audience to watch it once more. Their mind would surely tell them to watch "Chrysalis" once more to understand the story.

There's a saying, every small thing becomes good that arouses the interest of people. Good is something that provokes people to watch or speak about it again and again. Good is something that stays in your mind and does not let you forget it. Undoubtedly, "Chrysalis" falls into this category.

Riya Saha/Cult Critic/CICFF