TOGETHER: Expansive & Expertly Crafted

One has to love the scrappy spirit of a good short film. The best of them can contain all the impact of a feature-length in a short snippet of cinematic time. Together is an exemplary short and brings the best to its modest 20-minute runtime. It’s a unique story, effectively executed, and a pleasantly surprising short. It’s true what they say: great things can come in small packages.

In Together, a biohazard remediation cleaner finds the integrity of her business threatened after hiring a technician with an insatiable appetite for his work. The film enjoyed its World Premiere at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and has also appeared at the Fantasia International Film Festival and the L’Etrange Festival. Together is written and directed by Ryan Oksenberg and stars Arielle Hader, Clayton Farris, and David Otten.

Beauty and Death

A notable point of Together is that it’s a very pretty film. The shots are well-composed and there’s a softness to it that is disarming, given the macabre subject matter. That off-balance juxtaposition is prevalent throughout several areas of the short. The opening sequence is all gentle acoustic and idyllic nature, with the uncomfortable presence of a man that is a bit… off. To this point, the intent of the film to unsettle the viewer is rooted beyond the story and in the very fabric of the film itself. It’s a job very well done.

Together is a poignant and fascinating meditation on death, loss, and our natural obsession with it. It reminds the viewer that death is something that is experienced on the physical level, as well as in an emotional and spiritual manner. This is illustrated by the deliciously tense parallel of the film’s two characters. One succumbs to his addiction to flesh and takes the body, the other is obsessed with her father’s death and takes the final moments (in the form of collecting suicide notes and goodbyes).

It’s a somber meditation on life and death as something equal parts messy, macabre, beautiful, and profound. The balance in storytelling and the threads of horror, drama, and humor really make Together an absorbing watch. Honestly, the short is a work of fine craftsmanship. Well done.

Together in Broader Context

Perhaps it is a stretch to think of Together as being part of the zombie genre of horror, but let’s indulge the notion for a brief moment so as to better illustrate the film’s themes. There are plenty of zombie films floating around, so much so that the rules, expectations, and tone of the genre is well-established. If Together is a zombie film, it’s a damn good one and an innovation.

We’re accustomed to a more “undead” portrayal of the flesh-eating zombie, a monster reduced to the subhuman. But what do we do with a “zombie” that still feels, still laughs, still cries, and begs for help in dealing with their “sickness?” Further, what do we do when we think of human nature as being higher than base animal needs when, in actuality, it is people who are animals?

Therein lies the thesis of Oksenberg’s work. Therein lies the greatest strength of the film. It’s not a film that hinges especially on plot or performances, so much as excellent behind the camera work that frames these elements in such a way that they are elevated. It’s damn impressive to see a filmmaker craft with such intention.

My verdict? Together is an expertly formed film that lingers with the viewer and is disconcerting and uncomfortable, in all the best ways.