More, Please
You probably know someone like Eni, the protagonist of Facade, a short subject that well could be fleshed out into a feature-length film.
Eni (Arsema Thomas) is an architect, driven and career-focused to the point that her friends (Grace Amaku and Camryn Kim) are worried about her and, particularly, her lack of a love life.
Their nagging gets her to take just enough time away from her architectural models to attend a trivia night and have a “meet cute” with Peter (Matthew Elam).
The film is a brisk 13 minutes long, so the relationship develops quickly and Peter is soon able to learn the sad story that has fueled Eni’s passion for her profession. Eni’s backstory comes out in a flashback to her childhood with her sister (Tami Fomukong and E-Jade Orekoya).
Like with everyone in the cast, you come away wanting to have seen more of these people, to know more about their relationships and their stories. That’s not so much a critique of Modupe Thompson’s writing and directing as a plea to see more behind the facade.
Facade (World Premiere, 13 minutes, USA, rated PG, in English) is one of five short films (including Everything Must Go, Familiar Stranger, Never Never Never and Summer Triangle) screening during Shorts #3: The Space Between Us at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival April 23-28.