POLAROID

Written & Directed by Dante Aubain

“Determination becomes obsession and then it becomes all that matters.” - Jeremy Irvine

Polaroid is a dark and moody thriller with a simple premise - a wealthy man’s evening plans are interrupted by an unexpected visitor. Arthur (Adam Paul Hunter) is anticipating a guest but is instead forced to entertain Sam (Chris Jehnert). Arthur would like Sam to leave, but Sam wants something very different.

Aubain crafts this verbal tug-of-war with tension and suspense while allowing the actors to chew scenes with witty dialogue. A slow burn which never feels slow, but instead keeps us leaning forward through the story. Mature restraint is they key here - as the film could have easily spilled into an overly dramatic confrontation. This director, however, earns his third act escalation by building upon the underlying desires of his characters.

Inspired by the themes of obsession in David Fincher’s Zodiac, Dante Aubain delivers a gem of a short film. Director of Photography Vincenzo Senerchia effectively assists in driving the narrative with beautiful and intentional cinematography. The look and feel of Polaroid is consistent and brooding, with a properly paced edit giving the audience only as much as they need. Filmmakers, take note.

As technically sound as the film is, it is equally charmed by the performances of Adam Paul Hunter and Chris Jehnert - earning Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, from IndieEye Film Awards September 2021 event. Aubain collected a handful of awards from IndieEye (for a second time, as his debut feature THE ALPINES won big in February of 2021) including Best Narrative Short, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Sound Design.

Dante Aubain is assembling a skilled and determined team with Senerchia and producer Mally Corrigan. If their 2021 success is any indication of what’s to come, cinema has a bright future.

-Matt Cassidy