Think again.

Unexpectedly, “An Open Door” turns into so much more. In the capable hands of Jourdan, “An Open Door” is a beautiful, heartbreaking short film that will burn its way into your psyche and have you reflecting upon its words and images long after your viewing has ended. Featuring a magnificently controlled performance by Suzanne Lang, “An Open Door” is simply an unforgettable film.  
 

Companioning Lang’s tender, intimate performance is the guarded, detachment offered by Tim Cunningham as her husband. Their scenes together so beautifully reflect the often awkward dance between healing and letting go.

Production values for “An Open Door” are stellar, and both Jourdan’s script and direction indicate a director whose voice we will be hearing from for years to come.  
 
For more information on “An Open Door” screenings or to follow Jourdan’s other works, visit www.seanjsjourdan.com.

SHORT REVIEWS

"Who’s Ma Ma! Joe Ma Ma!" 
Two and a Half Stars 
B- 

An earlier work from Sean J.S. Jourdan, “Who’s Ma Ma! Joe Ma Ma!” is a short documentary about, in Jourdan’s words “A badass motorcycle mechanic” who is working on being a father. With lower production values and a more straightforward filmmaking approach than “An Open Door,” the film is an interesting, if modest effort by Jourdan. Despite the film’s modest production values, the film is interesting throughout its 13-minute run and the characters in question are quite captivating. Being able to see two Jourdan films at one time, it’s easy to appreciate Jourdan’s growth in camera angles, pacing and editing. While the audience for this film is undoubtedly limited, especially given its extensive use of graphic language, Jourdan’s unbiased presentation of his subject gives the film a surprising degree of warmth and humanity.

"The Lost Journal of Vice Marceaux" 
Two and a Half Stars 
B- 

”The Lost Journal of Vice Marceaux” is, without a doubt, this week’s most ambitious short film. Clocking in at 15 minutes, the film is a remarkably intelligent film written and directed by J.R. Burningham. Inspired by a true story, “The Lost Journal of Vice Marceaux” is a period piece set in the late 1800’s about a physician whose faith is destroyed when he loses his entire family during a small pox epidemic. As the epidemic continues, the physician eventually makes a startling discovery that may, in fact, prove scientifically the existence of God.

Great effort is made to give “The Lost Journal of Vice Marceaux” a strong period feel from production design to costuming to dialogue. Yet, I couldn’t erase the feeling that the entire production felt very theatrical in presentation and I often felt as if I were observing a stage play rather than a short film.

Darin Singleton is strong enough as the physician in question, however, P.J. Marshall felt a bit less convincing with the period dialogue.

One must admire Burningham’s ambitious filmmaking, particularly his attention to detail and design.

"The Truth About Faces" 
Three Stars 
B 

Filmed entirely in one take (after 27 tries), “The Truth About Faces” benefits greatly from that sort of focused, energized but downright stressful approach to filmmaking. This 14-minute film takes place entirely within a closing store as a mother and daughter attempt to come to terms with a tragic event.

Watching the interplay between mother (Julie Pop) and daughter (Hanna Hall) becomes all that more powerful because the camera never turns away from these characters…each glance, each sigh and each twitch caught on film and a reflection of the awkward moments we all face when healing from tragedies and feeling as if we are under a microscope. Writer/director Lindsey Shockley’s theatrical background clearly pays off as she patiently follows mother and daughter through the peaks and valleys of human emotion and expression.

While both Pop and Hall perform admirably, Hall gives the film a remarkable emotional depth with a performance that speaks volumes even when she isn’t uttering a word.

"The Run" 
Two Stars 
C 

Despite his experienced cast, writer/director Gabriel Scott’s “The Run” often feels like one of those late night action thrillers starring Shannon Tweed that you find on Cinemax. Mind you, that’s not a particularly bad thing, but it doesn’t necessarily make for groundbreaking cinema.

Scott surely has the basics of a decent action film present, even in the context of a 17-minute film. In “The Run,” a friend (Seth Adams) agrees to do a favor for a friend he finds a world he never expected. Despite the film’s relative predictability (Yes, I saw the end coming a mile away), the cast performs admirably and I found myself thinking “This would be an interesting full-length film.”

"Jack & Jacques" 
Two Stars 
C- 

In its U.S. Premiere during the Indianapolis International Film Festival, this Canadian short film centers around an aging actor who lands a small “breakthrough” role in a film American cinema icon Jack Nicholson. Jacques, the French speaking actor, is followed throughout the day by a student filmmaker who documents his every move.

As written and directed by Marie-Helene Copti, “Jack & Jacques” is an interesting, if somewhat slight film. While the film starts off wonderfully, with the vastly experienced aging actor practically flaunting his success, the film’s impact largely dissipates over the course of the day.

“Jack and Jacques” is an interesting concept that, sadly, never really comes to life. 

Are you interested in having your short film reviewed by IndependentCritics? Submit your short films to:

Richard Propes
IndependentCritics.com
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