Cast: Saleh Bakri
Director: Farah Nabulsi
The Oscar-nominated The Present is a touching and haunting short film that makes the desired impact due to its sincere execution. It revolves around what happens when the protagonist decides to buy a gift for his wife on their anniversary.
The basic storyline manages to keep the viewer hooked due to the organic intensity and may remind one of the Hindi movie Chintu Ka Birthday. Both films essentially highlight the search for small joys in times of conflict.
The initial portions of The Present focus on the bond between the protagonist and his daughter, which proves to be the emotional foundation of the short. The scenes focussing on family bonding are as relatable as anything can be. This kind of proves that human emotions are one and the same irrespective of the cultural backdrop of a story.
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The writing excels in the subsequent parts as each scene has a sense of urgency and suggests that something big is on the cards. A few of the scenes, however, have political undertones and may not connect with those not familiar with the socio-political dynamics depicted in the film.
This, however, is not a major issue in the grander scheme of things. The protagonist's outburst towards the end works because of its organic intensity. It feels natural as opposed to dramatic or staged, which is the hallmark of good storytelling.
Saleh Bakri, who plays the role of the caring father, does justice to a simple yet intense character. He underplays things in the scenes focussing on his family life, which makes the action more relatable. He also manages to bring out the character's frustrations in a crucial scene. The actor is supported ably by Mariam Kanj and Mariam Basha.
The minimalistic background score gels well with the narrative, The other technical aspects are up to the mark given the fact that The Present is a short film and not a lavish feature.
The Present is one of the five shorts nominated for the 93rd Academy Awards. It is available on BookMyShow Stream in collaboration with ShortsTV