the art of doing more with less: review of 'em'

I went to a screening of 'Em' tonight as part of the Brooklyn International Film Festival that runs through this weekend -- and boy, am I glad I did. This super low budget indie really proves that great storytelling and beautiful camera work are not dependent on price tags. It tells the story of a two young people who, despite their love for one another, get driven apart by one's mental illness.

While the story is simple and has been told before, the film had a very personal touch, providing what producer Jim Jermanok described in the Q&A as a more nuanced perspective of mental illness. This, he said, was an important part of director Tony Barbieri's vision, since most portrayals of mental illness in film and television are sappy and melodramatic.

Shot in what seemed to be digital HD, the film also had a homemade feel to it -- which didn't take anything away from its cinematic legitimacy. On the contrary, I felt myself very much drawn into the story and the characters. As one member of the audience mentioned, the B-roll of San Francisco locations was absolutely beautiful, with a light that often sparkled off the screen.

The film has already screened at the Santa Fe and Palm Springs film festivals and is still looking for distribution.