Ain’t it Cool News

-Harry Knowles

“Rebel Rebel” is a 21 minute short film about the interior struggles of several women and how they bond together to cope. Based on a true story, this short skirts the shores of being both heartwarming and disturbing at the same time, a formula that admittedly is not for everyone. But it is for me. And I dug the hell out of this. “Rebel Rebel” was shot on an old school, 10 year old 3/4 inch video camera. Talk about your guerilla film making.

Writer/Director Betsy Burke works the hell out of that camera, and together with the lighting and cinematography, gives this film a depth of field that is just missing from DV films. The shots were just absolutely gorgeous at times and really served to draw you into the characters’ worlds of loneliness. This film also uses a wonderful contrast of lighting to reflect the mood of each character, giving us dank depressing tones in times of strife, and rich, vibrant colors during periods of wonder and enlightenment. Proof yet again that with the right talent, even outdated tools can serve to make wonderful pieces of cinema.

Ultimately, this film is about love, family and triumph over adversity, but it really scrapes much deeper in some very interesting ways. I really feel that this is a great festival short, showcasing the talents of a young, inventive filmmaker on the verge of much bigger things. Keep your eye out for her.