Short Film Analysis #6: "30% (Women and Politics in Sierra Leone)"

Next in my series of short films is an intriguing documentary, told through live action whilst interspersed with some stunning oil-paint animation. The film follows the plight of three women and their fight to improve the position of women in politics in a nation ruled by men. The film's insight and message, coupled with the unique way in which these messages are conveyed, make it a truly fascinating short film to look at; 

Camera: The film uses naturalistic styles of shots in the live action segments to add to the authenticity of the short film, making he audience focus more on the women's message as opposed to the grandeur of the camera angles and cinematography. Examples of this include the shaking camera as one of the woman walks along; it feels personal, as though we as the audience are with them. Close-ups are used to make the audience identify with the women, whereas any shots of men are either mid-shots or long shots. Moreover, the men are often framed in two's or three's, creating the idea that the men adopt this pack mentality.

Cinematography: A possible criticism of the film is the way in which the film possibly looks a bit disjointed in the contrasts between the lush, rich animation and the blandness of the live action. Perhaps this is the point, to bring into harsh focus the realities of the situation the women are in. Indeed, the animation is stunning, the artwork is brilliant, and the slightly surreal style of the animation is really reflective of what memories are often like, snapshots of the past. The animation is a unique form of storytelling, and is also arguably a more effective form of recreation than a badly dramatised Crimewatch-style recreation.

Editing: The film is an attempt to highlight the importance of women's rights, and so perhaps it's unsurprising that the film's director pointedly focuses on women, holding the most prevalence on screen. Seamless transitions between live action and animations creates the idea that Sierra Leone has the potential to be a colorful, vibrant place. The slow nature of cuts adds to the reflective tone of the piece; therefore, editing is significant in the way it adds to the message of the film.

Mise-En-Scene: The mise-en-scene conveys the vibrancy and otherworldly nature of Sierra Leone through the use of animation. The bold primary colours gives the film a level of gravitas, and makes the film more compelling to the viewer. Moreover, the film's mise-en-scene conveys the difficulties the country faces, such as poverty, and also the contrast between the numbers of men and women in parliament. The filmmaker hints at a number of different key issues, which makes the film more of a talking point.

Sound: The dialogue in this film is crucial; there isn't a conventional, linear plot, and so the diegetic words are crucial in conveying ideas and imagery. The woman's words can be seen as non-diegetic when the film goes into flashback, and authentic sound effects such as women and children screaming are used to used to make this imagery all the more clear to the audience. The stories told by this women are fundamentally important, and so sound is a key element in the success of this short film.

This short film conveys key issues, and is an interesting and engaging documentary. Flashbacks are a key element of my short film, and so I've found the route this filmmaker went down very interesting and insightful.