Parallel Passage

Mandi really knows how to expose and show the evils of man layer by layer in a way few filmmakers do or can. Very rare in a short film. She has a very promising future in this art form. Character creation and development in a short is a gift that few filmmakers have and Mandi accomplishes it. You can see the influences of the great directors she pays homage to within the 17 minutes of this work. What comes to mind to me is Kubrick, Lynch and Polanski. Not to say Mandi is not original. She is. All the greats in film making pay homage DePalma had Hitchcock and Scorsese had Wells. Fantastic editing. The film has a rhythm and pace that builds with every scene. With a soundtrack that works with the flow. The lighting creates the mood through the picture. Color works for this picture. I don't know if it would complement in black and white. I am glad that IFC has taken notice and hope that the industry takes notice to give this filmmaker a chance to shine!

I was sold on this short from the opening shots. One is compelled first by the beauty of each frame, and then by the mystery that unfolds within them. It is rare that a fifteen minute film can generate and maintain a sufficient intensity to absorb its audience in fear. It is a testament to the filmmaker that certain of the more nightmarish scenes which, in another director's hands, could have been taken as absurdly comedic, instead manage to send chills down your spine. Find it and watch it!