Grace
“Grace” is an interesting short film that offers some insight on what it would be like to have to live in a very religious family. What happens when you start feeling “adventurous” and want to explore not only life, but what it means for you to exist as a human being. It’s a film that forces us to witness abuses of such power, but in a psychological sense. It’s a quiet film that slowly creeps up on you by the end.
The short film establishes that it takes place in a religious sect very early on. It’s a little unsettling and ominous to witness the separation of individuality in the characters. It focuses on a 15 year old who goes behind her families back to sneak out of her house at night to explore nature with a boy across the street. It’s innocent and adorable. Puppy love at its finest. Everything seems to go according to plan… until her family catches her. This is where the film really get interesting because it transforms into a psychological torture as the protagonist repents for committing such an act.
My absolute favorite aspect of this short film is the lack of a musical score. It focuses on silence, which in return forces us to focus on what is being said with the underlying message. It forces to soak in the surrounding forces of this community. It’s meant to make us feel uncomfortable. To live in this community would be an internal hell. The main character showcases this perfectly as we witness her rebellious side. The scenes of nature with the only sound being birds and wind is peaceful. It’s when she feels most at ease. The lack of music in their church setting contrasts the peacefulness by adding a sense of new order and seriousness, one that makes you question the amount of authority these people have.
Another thing I really enjoyed was how it explores abuse from a psychological viewpoint regarding having to be punished due to a strict religious background. It can be damaging to an individual mentally and socially. The fact we witness her repent invokes some sort of disturbing emotion that rests uneasily deep down. If that’s what the filmmakers intended, then they succeeded. The cinematography is top notch that adds to the slow build up of suspense. With subtle camera movements and scenes lit in a particular way to highlight certain elements of the community really move the story forward. When you add all the other elements it really pays off being an intense underlying thriller.
“Grace” is a short film that I would highly recommend for the pure suspense that slowly creeps up. It raises a lot of questions and puts us in situations that some may find relatable while others would wish to never be in. To be trapped under strict supervision and then being forced to repent for hours at end while questioning the faith is horrifying. That element alone is something that really sold me on this short film.
