Waking Eyes
As surreal as the Lewis Carroll quote that inspired this short film, WAKING EYES, directed by Sarah R. Lotfi is a beautiful piece of minimalist filmmaking. With wonderful production design, detailed costuming, and a tight story, this movie would make a fine addition to any film festival or screening series lineup. WAKING EYES has a running time of 14 minutes, but tells a story that spans hundreds of years. The easiest film to compare this movie to would be THE FOUNTAIN, but its story is far better told, even though there is little dialogue throughout the film. While Alice wanders through dreams that take her around the world as she inhabits different women in separate time periods and realities, she sees a forlorn man from the present that appears in each scene. As each body she inhabits inevitably dies, she passes to a last point in her earthly existence, as the dying mother of the young man that has followed her from each period.
WAKING EYES is shot incredibly well and it is obvious that every cent of the budget went on the screen. Sarah R. Lotfi’s background as a costumer is evident as the details in all of the period costumes elevate this movie to a completely different level that other filmmakers who attempt period pieces should take a note from. The emotions shown in each character is well-captured and the small cast (Ariel Baty, Michael Lee, and Leah Chandler Mills as principals) inhabit their characters in each situation. A little more time spent on each time period, fleshing them out a bit, would have been appreciated, but that obviously wouldn’t have been the story the filmmaker wanted to tell (and it would have drastically increased the budget as well).
Lighting, composition, and editing are all handled very well. As far as films that make heavy use of the color white and flare the lenses to accentuate the ethereal feeling of their scenes, WAKING EYES does not make the same mistake that most filmmakers man, and keeps the focus pull and exposure in check. This is a sign of a keen editor (also the director), as well as a careful eye on the lighting on set.
WAKING EYES can feel like a dream when you watch it. Sometimes you don’t know exactly what you’re watching, but the images are pleasant to look at, the score is compelling, and it stays with you long after the movie is finished.
