The first thing you want to do the moment you finish watching Greenhorn is to go back and watch it again. This is how beautifully, and deliberately, the film misleads you about the intention of its plot. Consequently, you don't realise what hit you long after it is all over. Simply put, the story is of a soldier lost in wilderness, and trying to overcome the forces of nature for survival. This is all the preparation one needs before going into the film and to be able to enjoy it well. 

The most significant element that efficiently manages to achieve an impactful viewing experience is the writing, followed by direction and performances, at a close second. As the protagonist battles hunger, thirst, even an onslaught of leeches, his escape from this seemingly endless forest appears ever so evasive, and yet, he struggles on. 

From scarlet clearings to blood dripping from leaves to threatening noises in the dead of the night, his tribulations also continue to gain intimidating mental and emotional proportions. This, in turn, invokes a sense of claustrophobia and entrapment, despite the visuals of a vast expanse unfolding before you. The film's progression is marked with just the right pace, coming into its own in an organic manner, keeping you uncertain about the soldier's fate all along. However, when the resolution finally arrives, would you have seen it coming? The well-constructed narrative ensures you miss it by a long distance, and it is indeed in this that the success of Greenhorn truly lies.

Greenhorn | Short Film of the Day

‘Albacore’ is a lovely exploration of a woman’s struggle with everything that she once desired, and the hollowness of life, the ennui it entails, now that she has attained it. Water remains an ongoing metaphor throughout, after having being established in the image of a fish that the title conjures. The forward propulsion of the narrative is defined by the pursuit of the discomfort of a fish out of water, her desperate desire to find that release and perhaps an eventual return to it. 
The protagonist, though a laconic woman, is a force to be reckoned with. Her most meaningful conversations take place with another woman, a younger self of sorts, who is a reminder of a past that no longer exists. When all of these elements are weaved together, the result is engaging, and soulful. 
There’s further an inherent quietness to the film, and the isolation of vast, endless spaces, evident in its visuals, that further aid this communication of intentions, ensuring that 'Albacore' remains lucid and meaningful throughout.

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