This is She
New Year New You
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26-May-2015
A young woman moves into a new apartment and discovers a growth on her wall that mysteriously moves. Each time it does, she covers it with cardboard or a mirror, but as soon as it's covered, it pops up elsewhere. The woman can’t define what she’s seeing, and she can’t pin it down, but it’s there, a haunting presence. The film is anchored by actress Grace Rex, who wrote the script and stars as the woman on edge, nicely understated in the role. Basically a silent film, Rex is subtly expressive in the way she stares at the blob on the wall, or the way she moves through the room — a convincing and nuanced performance. The only dialogue comes from a set of phone calls from her parents. Her mom asks, “Is it safe over there…Do you have to walk in the dark?” referring to her new neighborhood, unaware that her daughter’s real concern isn’t outside the apartment but inside. The daughter responds, “Yes, sometimes I’ll have to walk in the dark,” as she lies on her back and takes unrelated deep breaths. “So are you really okay?” Directed by Tarik Karam, who impressively finds & maintains a precarious tone; shot by Daniel Sharnoff, who keeps the small apartment — the only location — visually dynamic throughout; and sharply edited by Mengfan Wu.
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