The Hermit's Flute

I'm not gonna lie I was pretty surprised not to see this in the Wellington final. I think this was a beautiful film brought to life by a team that really really knows how to shoot in low light better than any 48 film I can remember in quite some time. Your grade is perfect here, evoking a techicolour feeling that calls to mind classic adventure cinema like THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD and THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD.

Only this isn't a "fun" film. Its deeply mysterious and trippy, blending reality at moments to disorientate in the best possible way.

The performers were all really strong, with the Rumpel actor in particular extremely memorable finding just the right energy level to portray a pixie with a dark side yet never overplaying their hand into manic territory that would have been easy for a lesser actor to do. I predict big things for Ethan Downing!

The quest for lovers to reunite is a strong underlying theme, though I did find the ending played out a little bit cold and harsh. I think to soften the impact of the killing a reaction show of the lovers connecting may have worked a bit better than the silhouette from behind? What you used was good but for mine that would have rewarded me as a viewer just a little bit more to see their faces.

Killer soundtrack by the way. Perfectly set the mood throughout.

This was an incredibly strong outing from team Silver Window who continually bring a distinctive cinematic sensibility and unique directorial voice anchored by incredibly solid performances. You can feel that this team ride the film and music divide with the way it is seamlessly integrated into the shape of the film. I've watched this team grow since their early success as a city finalist in 2022, the craft across the board just gets stronger and stronger. I can't wait to see what you do next.