A woman goes about her day, putting on a clean dress, and taking care of chores in the house. The visuals, however, are coupled with a sinister voice of a man who proclaims god-like truths, immediately making the viewer deeply uneasy. 

The woman, on the contrary, is comfortable, and in the process of preparing for something, a ritual perhaps for the Children of Enoch, the cult she is a part of. After the death of Father Enoch, the leader whose voice now echoes through the realm of the film pronouncing the cult's philosophies, and two of her companions, she awaits their resurrection on the sixth day. The film opens on the very day when, if the dead are not brought back to life, the watcher, the woman herself, must ‘join’ them in their ‘journey’. 

Long, fixed shots of the protagonist moving about in a house with notable ease that harbors three dead bodies, daintily dressed in her pale pink dress, ushers in the definitive horror inherent to the narrative. The subtlety of the horror, quiet but undeniable in its impact, becomes the most prominent strength of the film. The consequent, skillfully-handled narrative, further bolstered by equally remarkable performances, becomes powerful and disconcerting in its brevity.

The Watcher | Short Film of the Month

Toni Fitzgerald's Cult Following takes the viewer into the bizarre experiences of its protagonist - her finding a cult following, quite literally, for her stand-up acts. After failing to generate any laughs from an unimpressed audience at her regular club, and having a fall-out with her roommate, Toni finds herself making her way into a cult that veers clear of popular culture, and well, televisions. Consequently, when she begins sharing iconic lines from the likes of Arrested Development, for instance, the room is in splits without truly having an awareness of the unoriginality of their performer. The film adopts an effervescent tone to share its intentions and aspirations with the viewer while also giving a glimpse into the several obstacles of a struggling artist - be it lack of inspiration, the overwhelming pressure to perform or in the form of those who are rooting for you to fail, and as popular culture would label them, 'haters'. It is colourful, eccentric and even theatrical in its visual approach. The story further exhibits a notable endeavour at portraying all of this without making the tone didactic or cumbersome, and in the process manages to offer a complete narrative not devoid of its moments of humour and laughter, even if at the expense of the protagonist herself.

Toni Fitzgerald's Cult Following | Short Film Nominee

It won't be erroneous to say that the film is highly likely to catch the fancy of an admirer of the likes of Twin Peaks or Donna Tartt's The Secret History. Set in the rocky terrain of Montana, USA, the film is complete with its cool palettes of browns and greys, of autumn leaves and misty mountains. The inverted detective story of Eagle Rock opens with the scene of a prison where a girl recounts the events that eventually led to three murders. It is the late 60s-early 70s that forms the historical location of the story which moves back and forth in time in its non-linear fashion.
 The audience is introduced to Alex who works at a bookstore. Her path soon crosses with that of Jay, a man who is her senior in years and experience, someone she also finds irresistible in his charm and lure. A romantic rendezvous ensures that the course of her life is changed forever. Alex's rapidly growing devotion to Jay continues to develop while more young and visibly gullible women are drawn to him, eventually resulting in a cult-like group of as many as sixteen members. The film exhibits vision and powerful storytelling. However, the execution of the plot misses a few marks, keeping it from being all that it could be. It would have been appreciated had the second half maintained the same pace as the first half which takes its time coming into its own, the various elements of the plot would have seemed more consistent and congruent in this scenario. However, this critique is only intended to shine light on the potential the film already exhibits. It is an involving, entertaining watch, making the viewer sit up and pay attention to the skill and expertise of Eleanor Wells.

Eagle Rock | Short Film Nominee

By its own admission, the film locates itself in the horror category of found footage. Consequently, when it opens with bright, sunlight-filled, cheery visuals of a group of friends heading out for a holiday, the juxtaposition works successfully to make the viewer sit up and pay attention. It is in this particular manner that the light and the general happiness of the scene becomes deeply disconcerting. Led by their friend Lauren to whose family the farm belongs, the four characters have arrived at a ranch that is abandoned and empty now. Along with the aforementioned contrast in the atmosphere of the story, the film also plays with its edit to constantly enforce the unease inherent to the narrative. The visual development, weaving of the scenes and camerawork employed to tell the story are all notable characteristics of the film, as are the performances. The progression of events, however, seems like it could have benefited from more time spent on each aspect, if they were allowed more room to stretch their limbs and come into their own organically. Overall, the film is an entertaining and engaging watch, marked by its dedication to storytelling and to keep its audience uncertain and concerned about the fate of the characters.

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