As a filmmaker myself and the Executive Director at the Boston International Festival with the goal to encourage and support the work of worldwide independent filmmakers I strongly recommend to see Andrei Severny's short "Tom On Mars". This short shows the strongest qualities of the director's film-making. It has a unique sense of sensuality, visual taste and live interest toward the subject. I absolutely love the developed obscure idea of a physical body in space using very simple (low budget) yet very clever technique. I also like the symbolism of the stop-motion scenes which expose accelerated feelings of confusion, turbulence, loneliness and inner struggle. I appreciate fluidity of the beautifully shot and professionally edited film. I believe that Andrei Severny has a great visual taste which is one of the major keys in succeeding.
3 Reviews
Emotionally-charged film rich with elegant abstract imagery.
mh10005 September 2005
Seeing short films is like shopping in a thrift store. One has to patiently search through piles and rows of mismatched, unsorted and often useless items in hopes of finding something suitable. On rare occasions one comes across a true find, a gem that makes the whole exercise of scavenging worthwhile.
Recently, I came across one such extraordinary find, not an Armani suit at goodwill but Tom on Mars a short film directed and shot by Andre Severny. Tom on Mars is a sophisticated treatment of an ordinary subject - love, loss and yearning. The protagonist, Tom Houston (played by Russel Smith) wallows in the emotions that follows a breakup with Maria (played by Leila Lemhadden) his gorgeous thing of the past. Tom's free association monologue which takes almost the entire script is told in the language of space travel to Mars and back. Maria's side of the story is conveyed not with words but beautiful images captured in Severny's exacting frames. Severny successfully creates a short, concise and effective film rich with elegant abstract imagery. This young man can use a camera and tell a story.
Recently, I came across one such extraordinary find, not an Armani suit at goodwill but Tom on Mars a short film directed and shot by Andre Severny. Tom on Mars is a sophisticated treatment of an ordinary subject - love, loss and yearning. The protagonist, Tom Houston (played by Russel Smith) wallows in the emotions that follows a breakup with Maria (played by Leila Lemhadden) his gorgeous thing of the past. Tom's free association monologue which takes almost the entire script is told in the language of space travel to Mars and back. Maria's side of the story is conveyed not with words but beautiful images captured in Severny's exacting frames. Severny successfully creates a short, concise and effective film rich with elegant abstract imagery. This young man can use a camera and tell a story.
A beautiful interpretation of lost love
junaskenderi29 September 2007
What makes Tom on Mars stand out more than anything is its ability to parallel reality with illusion. Andrei Severny takes us on a universal tour of lost love through Tom. It becomes a beautifully shot, nostalgic glimpse into the mystery that is Tom's mind. He brilliantly uses the beautiful image of Maria to contrast Tom's brave journey into space. Tom on Mars is a creative interpretation of lost love carefully complemented by the experience of going to the hot planet of Mars. Severny paints a black and white picture over seven minutes that is not only beautiful to look at but also very interesting to think about even long after it is over.
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