Vimeo Short Film Of The Week: ‘Trespass’

The Film:

Some movies sneak up on you. Some movies sneak inside of you. It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment that Trespass becomes one of the latter, but I can tell you that – like so many of the best offerings in the short film world – nothing much happens in Mirrah Foulkes’ latest short form offering. And like so many of those other shorts, Trespass builds a complex drama from overt subtleties and simplistic narrative.

And yes, the overall plot is as simple as it sounds in our synopsis. Trespass opens with a woman taking her dog for a walk in the woods. The mood is serene. The scenery is lush. Save for a few sparse words directed at the dog – there’s no dialogue. Yet as those opening moments progress, the atmosphere begins to thicken. The action gets downright tense when the dog wanders off into the bushes. And the film takes an unexpected turn when they stumble upon another woman weeping in the woods.

The less said about what happens after that the better. Just know that the atmosphere remains thick. And know that Foulkes maintains that tension by building a penetrating silence around the action. Even when that second character is introduced there’s almost no dialogue to speak of. It’s a testament to the performances of stars Maya Stange and Sara West that so much is said in the film’s second half with just a shift in the eyes or the slightest change in body language.

And it’s a testament to the vision of Foulkes that Trespass works on so many levels with so little going on.  Again, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment that the film takes hold of you, but it does. And once all of that hushed, haunting energy takes hold, it never lets go. Somewhere along the way Trespass becomes the sort of film you can’t look away from … and the sort of film you just can’t forget.

Meet The Crew:

Written & Directed by: Mirrah Foulkes Starring: Maya Stange and Sara West Cinematography by: Ari Wegner Edited by: Nick Myers

I hope you enjoy Trespass! The film spent much of 2016 creeping up at film fests throughout the world. That includes screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival and an award winning run at the Melbourne International Film Festival. With any luck, that sort of exposure will land Mirrah Foulkes – an accomplished actor with an impressive resume – back in the director’s seat asap. And we can only hope that Cinematographer Ari Wegner will be behind the camera on project as well, ’cause his camera deserves a big screen palette. For further proof of that, you should check out his current big screen offering Lady Macbeth … which is fantastic. Of course, you can also see more of Wegner’s work over at his Vimeo page.

While you’re kicking around, be sure and check out some of the thousands of other – animated, live action and documentary – the Vimeo team has curated for your viewing pleasure (via desktop or mobile device … SWEET!). You’re sure to find something interesting, and you may just stumble across a new favorite filmmaker.