The third instalment in a series of drone shorts, We Above III is a stunning visual feat, achieved beautifully with a strong edit and a complementary background score. Each of these three elements is a force to reckon with, packing a complete powerhouse within the crisp, concise narrative of the film. The landscapes the visuals cover are far and wide across the globe. From Turkey to Ukraine to Russia and Siberia, to name only a few. Throw in China, Tibet and Mongolia as well and the viewer only begins to touch the tip of the massive iceberg that is this film. 

 It should be noted at this juncture that We Above III does not simply capture nature's mammoths of beauty, overwhelming and towering over humankind's transitory existence. Before you are even able to dabble with this strain of thought, we are introduced to human-made structures, threatening to engulf the horizon they are positioned against. However, in the process, the film becomes an encapsulation, perhaps even a quiet dedication, to the cabin fever that was 2020. Shot at the beginning of the pandemic, the visuals do a remarkable job of not only portraying nature in all its overpowering glory, but also to bring in a sense of despondency from the images of ghost cities and iconic tourist spots that now remain staggering in their emptiness. 

 Aerial shots of desolate landscapes, untouched by human intervention, reign true and free in this remarkable visual narrative, their presence only disturbed by the juxtaposition of human structures. The background score of the film, a fitting cover of Pixies' iconic Where is My Mind by Safari Riot, forms its calm, sturdy backbone. Becoming the most organic, natural sound to the breathtaking visuals before you, it finally leaves you with the question that now, as the world comes out of the indoors it was predominantly confined to in 2020, and gets a taste of the endless outdoors it was left only dreaming about for an entire year, where truly is your mind?

We Above III | Short Film of the Day

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

The narrative introduces us to two lovers, and leads us by the hand into a realm marked by separation, intimacy, and unmistakable vulnerability that ties it all together. The film and its namesake music album together take audiences on a meaningful journey that is mapped and crafted with thoughtfulness and meticulous care. 

The several tracks taken from the same album conjure metaphors of love, relationships, heartbreak, acceptance, and loss. These are coupled with an intrinsic presence of nature, of thunder and lightning, of the vast expanses of the sea and the sky to further echo everything the narrative intends to convey. The rhythm of the music is tied to the emotional ups and downs of the protagonist, alongside being located within nature's many moods and hues, as if nature itself is the third character present alongside the lovers. 

The camerawork and the visuals it paints are equally and competently supported by the vocals that become an overarching, defining element of the film. The screenplay and the visual grammar employed are stunning not simply in terms of aesthetics but also the emotions they evoke. Consequently, the final result becomes a seamless union of skill and thought, with a deep authenticity of emotion and its expression.

What You Do Alone | Spotlight

Stunning visuals of the limitless outdoors - snowclad mountain peaks in all their glory, oceans with water stretching out as far as the eye can see, and cloudy skies that remain forever moving - bring to life this beautiful narrative about change being the only constant. 

The images of nature are interweaved with the fluidity of the human body, suggesting internal struggles and the inability of things to stay still. The choreographed visuals are brief but seamless and expert, allowing the two components, nature and humans, to come together as a composite whole. The end result is crafted with care, is meaningful in its beauty, and perhaps can be explored as a longer project in the future.

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