NOTE: What They Say will begin to circulate throughout festivals later this year. I received a special screener copy of the short in July 2012.
"I've always had a demon inside me" is the first line our lead character coldly states in Justin R. Romine's short film What They Say. The character remains unnamed throughout the entire short, and we see her consistently ponder how normal people can live with themselves, conforming to society and its many bland conventions. But I wouldn't go so far as to dub this a full-on rehash of the "I hate the world" type character.
This character is played effectively by Heather Dorff, who seems to have her whole life planned out. The catch is her life is planned out by her mother, who is unaware her daughter is an unsympathetic, unruly woman possessed by something controlling and demonic. Her only form of solace is by cutting her arms with a razor sharp blade, which eventually leads her to strangely sensual pleasure as the blood runs down her arm and into the bathtub. At one point she wallows in a tub seemingly made up of her own blood, making for one unsettling and shockingly numbing moment.
What They Say could very well work as a piece of Gothic horror; where atmosphere overrides jump scares, blood, and gore, where style and decor become the main points of interest, and serene, crippling imagery is the source of true paralyzing fear. The cinematography, done richly by Nicole Klemens, easily becomes one of the most fascinating things about this short, emphasizing little things such as a dripping faucet and more complex pieces like when the true demon is unleashed with skillful craft and design.
This is one of the few shorts that, I believe, could function well as a feature length film. We can see the transformation of Dorff's character from normal, everyday schoolgirl to a dark, unmoving woman that has difficultly communicating and emoting with herself and others. Relationships with her mother and her sister (played by Kelsey Zukowski) could become more developed and fleshed out, along with more time for some incredibly stylistic scenery. Regardless, this is still one short film that feels capable and professionally developed rather than one long trailer.
Starring: Heather Dorff, Kelsey Zukowski, Tina Renee, and Kitsie Duncan. Directed by: Justin R. Romine.
