I had the opportunity to see The Law of Sodom at the inaugural Nightmares Film Festival in Columbus, Ohio. I was initially drawn to this film by the description I had read online and then my interest increased after I heard some early buzz from one of the festival's programmers. The film was scheduled to play at 2 AM, so I was going to have to power through a gauntlet of films and more than likely pop a 5 Hour Energy at midnight. It was worth it.
One of the things that makes us unique as a species is the ability to share our experiences with one another. We do this through art. In this deeply personal film, James Quinn shares with us his experience with schizophrenia. During the brief run time, we're able to gain some perspective on what it is like and hopefully share in a new understanding.
To gain perspective on schizophrenia, you could turn to a textbook entry or Wikipedia article and read a cold, clinical analysis. You would learn some new information, but you wouldn't personally experience anything from just reading the information. Film has the power to give you an evocative experience on any subject matter as more of your senses are involved as you absorb the material. You can feel dread or a creeping horror as you watch a film unfold itself before you.
James' film draws you in right from the outset as it opens with a black screen and spoken word. The words become more and more urgent and the atmosphere thickens in the theater and becomes more oppressive. As you listen in the dark, you can feel the mood of the piece suddenly starting to sit on your chest as a weight. I found myself staring at a glowing red "Exit" sign near the front of the theater, not because I wanted to leave, but that it was the most visible object in the dark theater. I was focusing on it to better take in the monologue. Then the film expands and stark black and white images unfurl on the screen.
I'm not going to describe the imagery in too much depth as I think it is something best experienced cold. The film has an interesting rhythm to it as it builds and builds and then there is usually a violent release or outburst. James has a good eye for not only unsettling imagery but how it is all framed. The film is also edited together really well. When the film finishes, it definitely leaves an impression and it felt like the whole theater breathed out together before applauding. I'd like to see it again soon just to see how it compares to my original memory of the experience.
If you watch a large number of shorts on the festival circuit, you can see some trends. A lot of them will have clever gotcha gimmicks or twists, some tell a succinct story from start to finish, and the rest usually fall into what I would call mood pieces. I would say The Law of Sodom falls more into the mood piece categories but it really has a depth to it. It won "Best Midnight Short" and deservedly so. I look forward to it rolling out to more festivals and hearing some more impressions from it. I think James will pick up some more awards for this one and I look forward to his future work, whether that lies in more shorts or even a feature film.