The Episodic Series Shorts block at deadCenter this year provided a treasure trove of artistic expression, where filmmakers pushed the boundaries of storytelling in bite-sized yet impactful ways. The films included Carly Dolls, H A N G M A N, Mashed, Breadwinners: Choy Division, and Hit Man: “Secrets of Lies.”
It was great to see some queer representation in this block, with Carly Dolls and Mashed both exploring LGBTQ+ relationships. Carly Dolls was a thesis film with the writer, Lindsay Newland, in attendance. It was obvious where the short’s bubbly energy and youthful premise came from. Newland made several animated Barbie movie references in the Q&A, although unfortunately, I don’t think anyone else knew who Bibble was.
Mashed showed several brief episodes about a young character struggling with vaginismus (which is essentially an adverse reaction to penetrative sex). This series was grounded, well-performed and unabashedly queer. Screenwriter Madge (who also stars) knows exactly how to tell a creative and emotionally engaging story.
I’ll admit that Hit Man was the initial draw in the Episodic Series Shorts block line-up. Who doesn’t love Richard Kind as a kind-eyed assassin? But this short was actually stacked with talent, including the likes of Karen Allen, William Sadler and Peter Reigert.
Unfortunately, the story here was a bit too much to fit into its 20-minute runtime, and much of the dialogue felt too expository and the action too contrived. But writer/director/producer Elias Plagianos clearly knows how to put a project together, and maybe with the flexibility of a feature, the characters and plot would have a better chance to breathe.
The other major standout in the block was H A N G M A N, which I entered totally blind and found to be a taut and stunning surprise. Starring a stellar group of actors in Peter Stormare, Annabeth Gish and Tracy Upton, writer/director Sam Upton expertly pressure-cooks this thriller about a Texas executioner. I can’t say enough about the writing here—what could have been hackneyed and overdone is instead a nervous, gritty journey that forces you to sit with it as the characters do.
Breadwinners was a non-fiction breath of fresh air in the block, a docu-series about the New York food scene—but also where that food comes from. The featured episode followed farmer Christina Chan and showcased her journey of growing organic foods that are especially important in Asian American communities. Aptly shot and edited, this will no doubt be important and compelling as a complete series.
Find more deadCenter 2023 coverage at The Cinematropolis.
