Bottle Tree

I caught Bottle Tree at the Sidewalk Film Festival, and was truly impressed by the thoughtfulness of the storytelling and direction. Bottle Tree is about a young African-American man coming to terms with his mother's death in a very concrete and meaningful way. Tyndall makes interesting choices in every shot, and as the film unfolds you realize that he's shown considerable restraint in this depiction of grief, addiction, and ultimately, redemption. For a short film to culminate in such an effective catharsis is rare, and considering that this is Tyndall's first foray into directing, I look forward to seeing what he does with a larger palette.