I Love You but...

Returning from the grave of my Film of the Year co-creator (the dead iMac) I logged onto the new computer and delved into the backlog of e-mail. Good thing too because I re-discovered Sabi Pictures' kind invitation to preview their brand new offering, an excellent example of independently produced short cinema. Below are my thoughts on it...

I F*cking Hate You
Directed by Zak Forsman
9 min.; U.S.A.; Color; Dolby Digital (5.1 Surround)

I used to play guitar in two indie bands. The first group was a jangly rock outfit formed to hang out, play out, make a little money (very little money as it turned out), and basically have a good time. The second group, a two-man DIY experimental recording combo, created music by laying down a planned backing track first and then allowing improvisation, played on random instruments, to develop organically as the piece continued. The band referred to the style as "plan-dom," and when it failed to work the results were dreadful. When things clicked, though, we often created something fun and unique.

That plan-dom experiment never created anything nearly as sharp and funny as Sabi's somewhat similarly developed "radical collaboration" film entitled, I F*cking Hate You (2008). If the title offends you then the punch-line of this nine minute ironic comedy probably will also. If not, then find a way to see it 'cause that pay-off is painfully funny and worth the brief wait. In the film (officially Dogme 95 #242), Carol (Marion Kerr) thinks that her heartbroken ex-boyfriend (John T. Woods) coaxed her back to his apartment to return a favorite coffee mug, but he has something very different in mind. The film's emotional impact may hinge on a musical performance in the final few moments, but without the edgy set-up improvised by the excellent Kerr and Woods, and aided by the immediacy of Forsman's camera style, those key moments couldn't work so well. It's easy to predict that big things lie ahead for Forsman, Kerr and Woods, but let's hope that they don't abandon shorts too quickly 'cause they know how to make 'em. Like a film version of a bittersweet indie rock single, this is a bold, uniquely produced, well-played mixture of comedy and tragedy ideally suited to the short format.

Jump over to the official website for more information and film festival dates.