Brendan Jesus
The Final Girls Berlin Film Festival is hands down one of my all-time favorites. Previously I had the opportunity to screen films like We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, You Are Not My Mother, and a plethora of fantastic short films. When the time came for the next festival I knew I had to do everything I could to be involved. With multiple blocks of short films and a feature lineup to make other festivals envious, the 8th edition of this festival is shaping up to be one for the history books. The first block of short films surrounds the idea of female pacts. This comes in a variety of styles and is sure to have something for everyone to sink their teeth into.
Sabbath – Written by Alexandra Mignien and Guillaume Beylard, Directed by Alexandra Mignien
A group of women stand in line near cliff’s edge, one step from death. A fire and brimstone preacher stands between them and the townsfolk with their fate in his puritanical hands. Are they really witches…or is this one of the myriads of examples of religion going too far?
FGBFF starts off strong with a stunningly shot short. The camera sweeps through the cliffs of the French(?) countryside. There is a slow-building terror that creeps through, cutting through the ugliness of the situation set before the beautiful scenery. While seemingly nihilistic, Sabbath raises questions and ideas that most content about witches does not. Don’t let the beauty of this short fool you, there is enough style and substance to make this short stick out among the many.
8/10
All Girls – Written/Directed by Anastasia Bruce-Jones
What would you do to make sure every door will always open for you? A group of four students embark on a nearly 70-mile hike with the goal of beating the sitting record. As the trip drags on, so does the dread. When push comes to shove one friend must do the unthinkable to make sure nothing gets in the way of their ultimate goal.
Part The Ritual part Man Vs., All Girls is a slow-burning ride through friendship, and what it means to be a true friend. Bruce-Jones’ script and direction are fairly tight and do an excellent job building up to a bloody fulling denouement. Add to that the beautifully shot cinematography from Hsien Yu Niu and the hauntingly original score by Jago Thornton, you are left with one great piece of horror. All Girls left me with a bloody grin on my face.
7.5/10
Rooted – Written/Directed by Andrea Lejault
Where are you? What do you see? One cold winter day a woman finds herself in an abandoned house near a cemetery, praying to find answers about her lineage. When a second woman shows up, things go from somber to frightening, as she is in a cat-and-mouse game with dire consequences.
Have you ever seen a creature feature, that doesn’t feature the creature? I haven’t, nor would I have ever thought I would. How could an idea like that be executed without truly seeing the thing we’re supposed to be frightened of? Lejault tackles this idea wonderfully, taking us through a cold dark ride through multiple emotions. This short will leave you questioning what is scarier: internal struggles or the thing lurking at the edge of the woods.
7/10
Blood Rites – Based on the short story by Daisy Johnson, Written by Polly Stenham, Directed by Helena Coan
Three friends are new to a small English town, though instead of searching for friends and connections they would much rather have a snack. A red, liquid, iron-y snack.
Blood Rites was quite intriguing to me. What initially seemed like three friends hunting down men for a snack slowly revealed itself to be so much more. These friends, who seem to be creatures of some sort, are not just looking to feast on unknowing men, rather they are trying to find their place in the world. Each man they go after provides a different experience for them, and I think that’s truly what the heart of this piece is. Excellent acting, excellent source material, and an excellent short film. Be careful who you swipe right on! There is more that I want to say about this short but I don’t believe I am in the place to do so. Blood Rites will speak directly to the people it is intended for, and will entertain the rest of us nonetheless.
7/10
No Man’s Land – Written by Lacey Jeka and Kristen Buckels, Directed by Kristen Buckels
A flamboyantly uncharismatic megalomaniac finds himself as the head of a doomsday cult, and the end is nigh! When a YouTuber, who goes by The Raw Report, shows this cult leader might be someone of internet ridicule, the women in this cult start to get cold feet. Will they ride Hayley’s Comment, or will they refuse to drink that Flavor Aid?
I had a bit of a tricky time with No Man’s Land. Obviously, you are not supposed to like the cult leader Mike. That’s fine. My issue falls with the idea that anyone would really fall in line with the garbage he is spewing. He is not charismatic and he constantly freaks out at the smallest of things. I know this is not what Jeka and Buckels had in mind, it just almost feels like they are downplaying the seriousness of cult-induced brainwashing.
As a short, though, it has issues finding its feet. It feels like it wants to have an air of seriousness but it always finds a way to undercut itself with jokes and bits that fall flat. It saves itself at the end with a really great moment of self-realization, unfortunately, it was just too late for me.
5/10
Huella – Written/Directed by Gabriella Ortega
One morning Dani Garcia (Shakira Barrera) wakes up to find out her grandmother passed away the night before. After a flamenco dance on the roof, almost like the warehouse scene in Footloose, but with actual emotion, she must start her workday. Dani’s day goes from grief filled to frightening in the blink of an eye, turning into a truly beautiful nightmare.
Saying something is one of a kind has always been tough for me, even the most original idea has to cycle through ideas that have already been done before. That was before I saw Huella. Between two beautifully choreographed dances and images of horror I don’t think I have ever seen before, Huella is truly one of a kind. I was two credits away from a dance minor in college, so I’ve seen a lot of dancing. Never once (sorry to my dance friends) have I seen a dancer portray such a range of true emotions in a dance before. Without hyperbole, Huella is one of the greatest short films I have ever seen.
10/10
Thoughts on Block One: Female Pacts
One thing I admire about the curation of the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival is even when there are short films that don’t necessarily do it for me, I am still able to find an aspect I enjoy about them. Thankfully those are few and far between. Block One: Female Pacts is an excellent start to the festival, and sets the tone for what’s to come impeccably. One thing is for sure, I am beyond grateful to be a part of this festival. This just proves that marginalized voices need to be given the opportunity to express their creativity. Not only do we get fun, scary, gory, fucked up entertainment out of it, but the genre succeeds as well.
This is just the beginning my friends, and we have a long way to go. Prepare for five days of some top-notch horror. It’s also not too late to get tickets if you’re in the area! You can find individual screening tickets here.
