BECAUSE OF THE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW WE STRONGLY ADVISE TO WATCH THE FILM FIRST.
Directors Shannon Kohli and Michelle Brezinski place their short film story in medieval times during the bubonic plague – called the Black Death – in England. It is a story of a woman deeply in love with her husband. When the man falls ill with the Black Death he is taken away by authorities to be buried out of town. But the woman follows them to the burying site to save him and take him back home. It seems though that she has a far worse disease than her husband.
‘MADNESS‘ is an intense short film. The plot starts with a happy moment of the couple showing the strong connection between the two only to throw the public into the drama a second later.
From this moment on directors Shannon Kohli and Michelle Brezinski follow the psychical and emotional deterioration of the woman as her unconsumed relationship is brought to an end by her husband’s disease.
The Black Death killed half of Europe’s population between the 14th and 15th century. ‘MADNESS’ makes a biopsy of the common man’s feelings and experiences during that time. In such circumstances love is both an antidote and a shelter from the terror. But when the main character’s loved one is taken away by death her unfulfilled love makes her blind from reality, ultimately making her go mad. Her madness however is so strongly connecting her to her lost man that her imagination creates an alternative reality to ensure her emotional balance, a reality outside she cannot exist. The dead can only be brought to life by imagination though, and she is doomed to live forever with the feeling of her unfulfilled love even if she refuses to understand it.
What will happen when she is forced to accept the truth? Or will she?
‘MADNESS’ is wonderfully directed, has well made sets and cinematography and we particularly liked the sound editing and design. The main actress’ performance is also notably. Shannon Kohli and Michele Brezinski’s story is a good, entertaining short film that will take you back in time not to teach you history but to make you partially experience the feelings of the people who lived in such terror.
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