Mental illnesses and how the perception of the victim alters are no longer a novelty for cinema amateurs who are familiar with extraordinary films such as Shutter Island, Requiem for a Dream, A Beautiful Mind, Still Alice, etc. However, despite its well-known theme, it is impossible not to appreciate the admirable way in which M.P. Murdock builds epic tension in his short film ‘Rorrim‘, using only one actress! Yes, a single actress who manages to impress with stunning credibility three incompatible identities that fight for supremacy within the same character. Obviously, for many audiences who already know Rodrigo Cortés’ Buried movie, such a strategy (an actor who maintains the atmosphere of a whole movie all by themselves) is no longer as surprising, but certainly this short film will fascinate any pretentious spectator by the perfect balance between the remarkable talent of a young actress, the dynamism of a linear and yet spectacular action, and the cinematic technique used by the director who supports the audience’s uncertainty until the monstrous revelation.
Adrianne is a young woman who often suffers episodes of temporary loss of consciousness. However, something strange happens during these blackouts, and after installing surveillance cameras in the house, she finds out the cruel truth that will totally change her perception of her own identity.
Beyond its stylistic mainstay somewhat similar to the structure of a thriller, this project manages to capture the attention of a large audience, since the way that M.P. Murdock intelligently builds the trauma of the character, with the help of the actress’ versatility, surpasses the schematism of a classic storyline. Thus, the minimalist formula underlying this film in which the main character (and the only one in the whole film) is simultaneously a protagonist and an antagonist, an aggressor and a victim, an angel and a demon, activates a wide range of emotions in the process of the viewers’ reception. The spectators, in turn, become the victims of the directorial ingenuity that overturns every horizon of expectation, making of ‘Rorrim’ a professionally crafted short thriller that promises both a director and a young actress with remarkable potential.
For the director’s ingenuity that defies the audience’s horizon of expectation, for the professionalism with which the director builds the epic tension, for the extraordinary talent of the main actress who incarnates with a stunning versatility three divergent identities, ‘Rorrim’ was awarded with the Film of the Month distinction in the May 2019 edition of TMFF.
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