Director: Tomer Shushan
Cast: Daniel Gad and Dawit Tekelaeb
The Oscar-nominated short film White Eye is a biting drama that highlights the problems faced by African migrants in Israel. It revolves around what happens when the protagonist comes across his bicycle that was stolen some time ago. This simple incident triggers a chain of events, which results in a situation that nobody could have imagined.
The storyline has shades of the one seen in The Present, another Oscar-nominated short film. Both dramas highlight the way in which 'the system' complicates seemingly simple situations and have distinct political undertones that are hard to miss.
White Eye's premise reaches potential due to the simple yet effective execution. The screenplay may remind the viewer of the one seen in the Hindi film Drishyam, a remake of the Malayalam movie of the same name. The Ajay Devgn-starrer had a gripping narrative that highlighted how a simple mishap led to something dark and heartbreaking
The narrative of White Eye too follows a similar trajectory. It initially plays out as a simple tale about the confrontation between two strangers but evolves into something extremely complex. The writing is top-notch as each situation/exchange hits the right notes due to the organic intensity. The actions come across as realistic , which makes it easier for the viewer to connect with the film.
Also Read | 'The Present' short film review: A touching tale
The climax/final scene in particular stands out as the silence does the talking.
Daniel Gad is sincere and manages to capture the emotional graph of his character. His body language conveys his emotions in a crucial scene, which bears testimony to his talent. Dawit Tekelaeb does a good job of conveying the helplessness of his character. The supporting cast serves its purpose.
There isn't much scope for the background score in a film like White Eye and makers wisely keep things simple. This adds to the 'true-to-life' aspect of the short. The other aspects are fine.
White Eye is one of the five shorts nominated for the 93rd Academy Awards. It is available on BookMyShow Stream in collaboration with ShortsTV