Graffiti

The short film Graffiti displays a man who has been stuck for many years alone in an abandoned area contaminated with radioactivity. Lluís Quílez gives us very little information about the reasons behind the man's situation. The man is alone and has somehow managed to survive for seven years on limited resources. I really enjoyed the setting as it is based in Chernobyl and it is chilling to see it in modern times. The camera crew and the actors had to potentially expose themselves to radioactivity to film this which creates a real sense of danger especially those who are educated on the nuclear accident.

In the film, it seems this place can make you sick but it is never explained what the sickness does or why there is a reason to fear it. I am personally not a fan of the lack of clarification cause I found myself thinking about these questions and it kind of took me away from what was happening on the screen.

The wide shots used to display many shots throughout this film serves to encompass a sense of isolation and seclusion. This shot is used in the opening scenes where the man is seen pleasuring himself to a faded billboard showing a woman's legs in pantyhose. I think that the fact that this billboard only shows a woman's legs leaving out a face really displays the man's desire for anything even remotely womanly or romantic. When the word ANNA appears in graffiti on a wall, he is so willing to make sacrifices for this person and is so desperate to meet her that he doesn't stop to think about how he really knows nothing about this person. She has no face just like the billboard. The question arises of what if this person isn't who he is romanticizing in his mind. Would he still have the same desire to sacrifice things for her? Would he begin to regret past decisions?

As the conversation written in graffiti between the two continues it becomes very ambiguous of if this person really exists. At times it seems like surely she exists and other times things begin to feel a little off. I really like the sense of mystery and tension that builds as the story progresses and the desire to know the truth.

Nearing the end things start to lose clarification and become very ambiguous. I like very plot based stories that end with all loose ends tied up into a little bow. This story didn't do that for me. I was left with many questions. I think this film would be a good fit for someone who likes to use their imagination and explore many different ideas. Personally my brain hurt from thinking of all the unanswered questions at the end so it wasn't a good fit for me although I do think there is a certain audience for this type of film. That being said I would still recommend this film as it kept me entertained and I enjoyed it for the most part.