TRANSIENT

Benjamin Hunt's Transient officially ranks as the most impressive short film I've seen in the last two years. To start... WOW. From start to finish, I found myself so incredibly moved by the characters' journeys and eventual conclusions.

Transient tells the story of Gray, a young man at a major crossroads decision in his life, forcing him to confront his past head on if he wants any hope of moving forward with his life. The decision he faces puts himself directly in the path of an older gentleman named Arthur, "matched" so-to-speak in a way that's too interesting to spoil here. This is going to be a very purposefully vague review because my hope is that you get to see this short film someday just as I did by going in blind with only the premise in mind.

Rarely do I connect my personal life with a review, but this one feels necessary. Watching someone struggle with the feelings Gray faces is something I understood very well. If you've been through something similar or know someone who has - which I fear many of you have in today's world - this is going to be an emotional experience for you. It certainly was for me.

The two leads, Gray (Grant Virtue) and Arthur (Sam H. Clauder II) compliment each other so well with the limited screen time they have together. Transient would not have worked as well as it did were it not for these two, and Hunt knocks it out of the park directing them. It's very clear they each brought their best to their respective roles with Clauder II taking home Best Supporting Actor for the month of June; an award that is so incredibly well-deserved!

Technically, the film is impeccably put together with beautiful photography by DP Scott Larson and a terrific score by Charlie Chaouli Sun. Sound Designer, Joshua Seigel does an amazing job of putting it all together and allowing the viewer to feel fully immersed in the more surreal moments of the film. And let's not forget writer/director, Benjamin Hunt for assembling this incredible team and making it all happen. They should all be very proud.

I really can't praise Transient enough. This film is an incredibly profound exploration of grief, depression, love, and the ultimate meaning of life. It's well worth investing 15 minutes of your time when it becomes available for public viewing. For the month of June, it also wins Best Sound Design, Best Cinematography, and Best Narrative Short. Congratulations to Hunt and the rest of his team. It's so well-deserved. I truly cannot wait to see what's next for this young man's career.

9/10
- DJ Ford