Family Portrait (2024)
Directed by Lucy Kerr
Written by Lucy Kerr, Rob Rice, Karlis Bergs
Starring Rachel Alig, Deragh Campbell, Katie Folger, Chris Galust
Release Date June 28th, 2024
Published June 24th, 2024
A woman sits outside on a beautiful summer day. She has a book, the sound is ambient, a light breeze, the insects of summer making their usual music. It's a peaceful, lush image. As captured by writer-director Lucy Kerr, using a deep focus that allows for us to see past what is in the foreground, it's a gorgeous image that is slightly off center. Typically, when we are watching a movie, we expect the main action of the scene to be centered in the frame. But, with so much visual enticement, and the main character of the scene slightly off to the side and not engaging in activity that would be considered story or plot important, our eyes wander the frame.
And what we center on is a hollowed-out tree. There is a gap that doesn't appear large enough for someone to crawl inside. The dancing sunlight between the branches and leaves however, visually indicate that the tree is hollow, and our eyes search it for visual confirmation. Then, we start to see something or someone moving inside the tree. It's confusing and a little frightening at first. You wonder, is this what we've been looking for in the scene, is there something sinister, supernatural, or dangerous in that tree? Why is whatever this is hiding in the tree? This will be revealed but first, our way of seeing the world is exposed. Do you assume something strange or dangerous? Or is it just a tree?
Find my full length review at Geeks.Media, linked here.
