One of the great paradoxes of the modern age concerns the way in which the human relates to the body; more precisely, the body is despiritualized by the gaze of the contemporary individual, becoming flesh, so that, later, the aura of celebrity conferred by the tabloids will provide to the same body a divine pseudo-identity. Brandon Jordan’s short film, even if it doesn’t dive directly into such philosophical nuances, draws against the background of a contemporaneity as familiar as it is strange the relationship between a photographer and a model who wants to reach the heights of fame. The short film ‘10 Photographs‘ can thus be seen as a thriller fuelled by the prejudices and superficiality of a world for which (often artificial, dishonest) beauty becomes an absolute ideal preceding any other attribute or principle of the human soul.
Somehow, this project seems to be inspired not only by the theme, but also by the dark and visceral atmosphere of a film like ‘The Neon Demon’, in an attempt to exhibit, on the one hand, the illusory aspirations of a world for which the casing, the surface layer compensates the “ugliness” and sordidness behind the scenes of this huge industry dedicated to aesthetics. On the other hand, the project meets the demands of a film with a feminist stake, presenting a clash of forces between a man and a woman ticking typologies that, although well-known, are strikingly and uncomfortably actual. The protagonists evolve spontaneously, alternating the relationship between the observer and the aesthetic object with the relationship between the hunter and the prey. Likewise, the characters speak different languages, and this language barrier actually hides a deeper structural dissimilarity, an incompatibility between their intentions.
The outcome of this story may not necessarily be unpredictable for many viewers, but certainly, the tension created between the two protagonists which, through both shrill and psychedelic music, acquires an almost metallic consistency, will delight many thriller enthusiasts. Likewise, the dim frames that enclose the perimeter of the photo studio make Brandon Jordan’s project a short film as catchy as it is terrifying, which, despite its bloody ending, seems to metaphorically offer us the optimistic solution of a society about to heal itself. ’10 Photographs’ is an incisive short film like a knife blade that splits the comfort of a viewer who still believes in the sterile beauty of a violent society.
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