Little Brother
All Films
•
Documentary, Short Films, 05-Jun-2018
On the edge of adolescence, a little brother visits his sister in the big city for the first time. This documentary snapshot directed by Dominique van Olm (who also stars) is a beautifully intimate account of their weekend in Toronto. The low-key course of events makes an effective case for the power of small moments taking on universal profundity. We tag along as the siblings go out for pizza, then on to a museum, then an aquarium. Both subjects exude a wonderfully natural screen presence and the film lets us into private moments that seem unaffected by the presence of a camera. Their difference in age and location has no doubt hampered their closeness, and Dominque hopes to make up for lost time. The trip takes on a subtly urgent quality as she aims to solidify their bond and be a positive force in his life (making him wash his own dishes, discouraging him from complaining, among others). Captured with strong visuals and edited with a seamless rhythm (edited by van Olm as well), “Little Brother” goes by in a flash and before it’s over, we already miss it. Some poignant final moments in a bowling alley round out the emotional core. Documentary filmmaking doesn’t get much more personal than this. -KA. Directed, edited by Dominique van Olm. Produced by Darren Snowden. Cinematography by Julia Hendrickson. Starring Dexter Thiessen, Dominique van Olm and Joseph Amenta.
Up Next in All Films
-
Uncle Pete: "The Buscemi"
A skinny blond gets picked up in an old white van by a young man and his German Shepherd and they drive around listening to Waylon Jennings. And that's already enough for me, but it gets really good when the blond reveals she's obsessed with Steve Buscemi and has a grand plan to marry him. It sta...
-
Every Day Love
Simple story about two Belarus teenagers in love. It doesn't scream for your attention but it doesn't have to - it's got sincerity on its side. Mumblecore must have reached eastern Europe, or they've invented their own version, because that's a good starting point here. A low-key, naturalistic sc...
-
The Heart Wants What it Wants
A beautifully-made character study of two ex-lovers in a luxurious hotel room reliving their past. The line between reality and role-play is thin and it’s an engrossing edge. Two wonderful performances lead the way: the man, an ex-college athlete, desperate to re-enact his days skipping practice ...