CODA & LOW: A Pair Of Epic Short Films

If you follow any of my reviews, you know that I have a special affinity for the short film medium. In recent years, the short film has been garnering increased attention,  with streaming services such as Amazon, Netflix, and HBO starting to include them within their libraries, allowing subscribers the chance to experience what typically can only be seen at film festivals.

With these two latest shorts, I had the chance to see, I only hope that this trend continues to grow – and the films below are made readily available for all to see. They are not to be missed.

Low (Daniel Bogran)

For a short film, writer and director Daniel Bogran‘ s Low packs a punch –  and not in the way you would think. There is a deeply rooted psychological and philosophical richness that oozes from the screen as each minute passes.

Desperation. A state of physical and mental being that has the power to override logical thinking, leading us to actions we would never have thought to commit otherwise. When a man finds himself at the end of his rope, job refusals sinking his financial status lower and lower, he finds the only way to survive is to rob a local convenience store.

What starts out as a simple robbery in an instant becomes a crime of horrific proportions. Every moment that follows after is frozen, not necessarily for the characters on screen, but for the members of the audience. You find you are the one holding your breath, waiting to see what a returned rationale in a moment of unintentional harm will deliver.

There is a ripple effect that starts from the moment the gun goes off; it starts with the sounds of the casings hitting the floor, reaching as far out into the universe as possible from there. As the ripples enlarge, viewers will see the character in focus is not the only one who makes questionable decisions in the moment.

The philosophical aspects of the film slowly transcend beyond the psyche. As the second half of the short reveals, everything is connected. Everything. There is never escaping the actions of your past, no matter how hard you try, or how cool and collected you appear to be. The past will always find you, your actions affecting those around you.

It is such a big concept delivered in such a small package. With a task like this, others may have faltered on the editing, giving too much detail to the elements required to successfully capture the film. Or even too little, the fine line of what to include and the pace to deliver is a difficult one to manage. Director and writer Daniel Bogran avoids each one of these, delivering a short you will not soon forget (as well as instilling a desire to see what happens next!).

Low is one of the most effective and impactful short films I have had the chance to see this year, and I can not wait to see what this director does next.

CODA (Erika Davis-Marsh)

I went into this short film blind. There was little knowledge of its story – or of the acronym the title stands for – “Children of Deaf Adults.” I don’t regret it in the least. Instantly, you are sucked into this duality of worlds within a young dancer struggling to understand her place in the world. Where one tries to find how to become a valued member of society and the future they want to create for themselves, Alex is trying to understand what society she belongs in and which society will shape her future.

From the moment writer and director Erika Davis-Marsh‘s CODA begins, viewers will be clearly aware that this is not your typical short – and inclusion goes beyond the story depicted on screen. Right from the start, the vibe and tone of the film are set, audiences informed that subtitles will be included throughout the whole film so both those of hearing and those who are not, are able to enjoy the film completely. In this instant, audiences not only have a chance to share an experience but also relate to the main character, whose life is stuck between two worlds.

There is such a show of experience, yet such a nativity that flows through CODA, each of these feelings reverberating not from the short itself but the film’s young star. She has experience and power you would not expect, bringing the story to its full intensity. She brings the youth and vulnerability to her character, mirroring the understanding and truth she has yet to accept for herself. She is a strong individual, and she has the power to unite two worlds rather than try to discover which she belongs to.

I also loved that audiences are given the chance to experience her dance in its entirety. When there was an understanding of where the short was headed, I was nervous that the constraints of the medium would not allow for this to happen, giving an abbreviated showcase. Yet, through careful planning and precise execution, CODA is a whole encompassing story, one that not only has a back story, current events and a conclusion, but becomes an experience as well.

While I could see the potential for something bigger, such as a full length feature, I honestly feel as though the short film gave Alex’s story the emotional punch it needed.

Conclusion

It is films like Low and CODA that continue to prove the value and importance of the short film medium. And in a world where our attention spans are becoming shorter and shorter, the ability of the sort film medium to pack a punch, deliver with precision and entertain is becoming all the more necessary and applicable.

Have you watched any short films this year? If so, what ones would you recommend? Let us know in the comments below!