A Stomach-Churning Drama
Sometimes, growing up isn’t about learning to take control. It’s about learning to cope with the loss of it.
Far from the Plains follows Frankie (Amari Bacchus), a teenage boy grappling with his mother’s depression following his father’s death. Frankie finds escape in a London stable, learning to ride and sharing small pieces of his life with the kind owner.
Director Luigi Sibona has a background in horror filmmaking, and though Far from the Plains is a coming-of-age drama, Sibona’s instincts as a horror director make the film resonate. Frankie’s mother’s depression is accompanied by black mold growing both on the walls of their apartment and his mother’s body. This directorial decision has incredible metaphorical and atmospheric weight, foreshadowing an oncoming storm and making the grip of the depression feel inescapable.
While the creeping mold and impending flood provide a stomach-churning drama, the performances in this film are gentle and grounded. Frankie and his mother (Faith Alabi) are sorrowful yet guarded. Their attempts to be strong for one another are as heartbreaking as the suffering they try to hide.
This Left Behind-type film centers the audience in the emotional space of its characters as they approach the eye of the storm.
Far from the Plains (West Coast Premiere, 16 minutes, United Kingdom, rated PG-13, in English) is one of five short films (including Olive, Still Standing, Vultures, and What If They Bomb Here Tonight?) screening during Shorts #2: What’s Left Behind at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival April 23-28.