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Introduction –
The biggest advantage of making a short film is that one can experiment with various elements. Trying out radical story lines, cinematography and breaking the usual filming principles with panache are some of these ways to stand out in the world of short films which are brevity personified. Petrichor ( nominated best British film ) too experiments with certain elements, especially lighting and sound.
Synopsis –
Liam “Lightning” Daniels, a onetime snooker star, is seating alone in the dressing room. This is his last chance to make a comeback, and prove to the world and his fans. The qualifier round can change his life … if he gets back his lost touch.
However, Daniels is haunted by his past demons, his lost glory, and hallucinations, a spin-off of alcoholism. Even as he readies for the game he experiences mood swings, delusions and ghostly phantoms rushing in and out of the small space. The sole object of sanity is his mentor Vic ( Clive Russell ) whose presence is filmed in flashes to accentuate the psychological drama further. Vic’s pokes and genuine concern is the only reason why Daniels is still in the reckoning.
During the second match Daniels is on the verge of completing a maximum break … but then the stage door opens.
Analysis –
It is obvious that director Louis Jack and writer Kenny Emson have not made this film to impress the ordinary masses. The dark ambience, psychotic sounds / voices, flashes of static images and the brevity of scenes are stitched into one cohesive piece of art to seek the attention of connoisseurs. While the lighting and shot composition might impress the masters of cinema, to a common man the film would appear burdened with not just depression born from lost sports glory but also maddeningly shrouded ambience.
The title Petrichor has been chosen because when the rain drops fall on earth, it gives rise to unique smell and dust. The keyword here is dust, which emanates every time the player rubs the cue with his chalk.
Year of Release – 2021 | Director – Louis Jack | Writer – Kenny Emson | Running Time – 15:50 Minutes | Availability – Amazon Prime India | YouTube