[Event Review] Wench Film Festival

Segment: Man

Self Actualization of the Werewolf Woman

dir. Conall Pendergrast

The title says it all in Conall Pendergast’s charming 4-minute animation. When the titular werewolf woman meets a self-assured vampire on a late-night train ride, she finds herself having to defend the fact that she ‘manages her condition’, instead of letting her primal nature run riot. Beautifully crafted and vibrant despite its monochromatic colour palette, Self-Actualization is a short but sweet tale of indulging the darkness and accepting yourself for who you are - claws and all.

Cycle

dir. Devashish Makhija

The fictional terrors of ghouls and ghosts are nowhere to be found in Devashish Makhila’s Cycle - instead the very real horrors of colonialism and systematic sexual violence against tribal communities are presented with harrowing and brutal accuracy 

Shot on a phone camera as found footage and filmed in three uninterrupted long takes in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh, Cycle is an extremely impressive feat, and the authenticity of the recorded medium only enhances the feeling of true-life terror. 


On Air

dir. Syd Heather

Not since Peter Strickland’s Berberian Sound Studio has a recording studio set the stage for such terror.

When audio engineer Megan (Mandeep Gill) is told ‘you won’t get far with that attitude’ by a difficult and disrespectful voice actor (Marnie Baxter), she is pulled into a supernatural cycle of women hating women.

Beautifully lit and wonderfully performed, On Air is a warning tale of the dangers of pitting women against women. It was director Syd Heather’s intention to explore the ‘female glass ceiling’, and how, in an attempt to retain their position at the top, some women in male-dominated industries seek to belittle and discourage other women from making upward moves in the workplace. Ladies, how can we defeat the patriarchy if we are so intent on defeating each other?

Escape Artists

dir. David Evans Ballard

When a group of women find themselves tied up and trapped by a mysterious masked assailant, they must overcome their annoyance with each other’s shallow concerns about energy healing and Pilates and work together to find a way out. While Escape Artists is a little light on scares, the script makes some valiant attempts at irreverent quips that provide an interesting take on the modern-day trend of willingly putting yourself in a situation straight from a horror movie, while paying tribute to the 80s classics we so know and love.

Segment: Shorts

Insiders

dir. Roshni Bhatia

For all the terrible things the pandemic has wreaked upon humanity as a whole, one shining light is the ease in which indie filmmakers adapted to the new world with creativity and innovative solutions to lockdowns and budget cuts.

Few subgenres have thrived as much during the last two years as ‘screen life’, a term used to refer to narratives that play out entirely via computer software. Unfriended used Skype. Host used Zoom. And Roshni Bhatia’s Insiders makes ingenious use of a FaceTime call between friends to evoke a feeling of familiarity before hitting you hard with an uncanny ending fit for any creepypasta fan.

Our First Priority

dir. Ariel Baska

More so than ever in the age of intense medical paranoia, a visit to the doctor can feel like you’re on trial. Having to present your symptoms, defend them against assumptions and the ever-infuriating accusation that ‘it’s all in your head’. Ariel Baska’s Our First Priority is a summation of the repressed rage that (overwhelmingly) women and girls face at the hands of an outdated, male-centric medical system.

A pioneer for disability representation in film, Baska has also presented an unflinching look at the frustrations disabled people must navigate whilst trying to access the necessary help. Deservedly premiering shortly at the Oscar-qualifying film festival deadCenter, Our First Priority is a darkly delightful, crimson catharsis for those sick of misdiagnoses and mansplaining in their medical practices.  

Night Waking

dir. Shoshana Rosenbaum

Night Waking wastes no time in sowing the seeds of discomfort. The sounds of a screaming baby, yelling toddler, jangling tamborine, vibrating phone all unite in an unbearable cacophony, a relentless onslaught of sound that accurately captures the overwhelming stress that domesticity can bring, reminding us how mothers so often sacrifice their own peace for the sake of their children.

Wives Ari and Miriam clearly have enough on their plate without the nebulous, astronomical threat seemingly on route to their house. Rightfully winning awards in sci-fi and ‘Mom’ categories at various film festivals, Shoshana Rosenbaum has presented a touching tale of love in the face of total destruction.

Feature

My Dog Is Sick

dir. Sapna Moti Bhavnani

Sapna Moti Bhavnani’s experimental feature explores the dynamics of isolation, and the effects it can have on our psyche even when, physically, we are not alone.

Bathed in unsettling serenity, My Dog is Sick follows an unnamed couple (Rajshri Deshpande and Anshuman Jha) as they navigate power structures in their relationship through metaphorical and literal bondage.

Slow and methodical in its sensations, My Dog is Sick is strikingly intimate to the point of voyeurism. The film is rich with sumptuous and sensual imagery demonstrating inherent dualities within us all, studded black leather on soft pink hair. Director Bhavnani’s tattooed skin against Rajshri Deshpande’s bare flesh. Bloodied sex toys. Gilded turds. Dominance. Submission.

Bhavnani’s past work in fashion is evident in the stunning use of light, colour and costume in the film - hazy late afternoon sunlight glimmering through the window, muted girlish pinks and psychedelic neon’s all makes My Dog a truly beautiful visual experience.

To call My Dog a horror film might be pushing the definition of the word to its very limits. There are moments of tension, uncanny interaction and a horrific implication in its last few moments, but those seeking a more traditional horror experience would be better off looking elsewhere. But for those looking to explore the complexities of the shadow, exorcising doubt and embracing fearless self-acceptance in the face of the male gaze, My Dog is Sick will pull you along like a pup on a leash.

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