Atomic Love
Short Films, 17-Jul-2023
A recently married woman helps her single friend shoot an introduction video for a dating service. Imogen McCluskey directs “Atomic Love,” a 1980s found-footage piece where honest truths between two friends reveal themselves. With her hot pink blazer and questionable perm, Aleea struggles to get loose in front of the camera. Questions for the dating service are either too difficult or send her down an insecure spiral. In an attempt to help, her friend, Dana, with a little more poise and less hot pink, tries to show her how it’s done. When they take a break from filming, the camera is left rolling, their conversation meanders, marital dreads get existential, and truths spill. Shooting the film as a single take on a static frame, along with its other stylistic sensibilities, McCluskey thoughtfully captures a dramatic discourse moment between two friends. -Jinho Myung. Director, Writer, Co-Producer, Editor: Imogen McCluskey. Cast: Maddy McWilliam & Priscilla Doueihy. DOP: Color Grade and VFX: Lucca Barone-Peters. Co-Producer: Yingna Lu. Costume and Production Design: Amber Theron. Hair and Make Up: Bianca Valentina. Sound Recording, Design and Mix: Stuart Melvey.