Debut work is always easier to evaluate than the subsequent of any author, be it a music album, photos or film. For you do not have high hopes and can count on any situation, for example, if the picture cannot be made a discount on the fact that the director is a beginner and he still has everything ahead.
The debut picture of the young director, "The Cliff" tells us about the last days of the life of a young man terminally ill with cancer. The film shows his suffering, the suffering of his family, how they are no less difficult than he is. The whole film the viewer hears the philosophical thoughts of the hero, what he talks about and what conclusions he draws.
The problem of short films is that the main idea must be revealed in the shortest possible time, fitting into the framework of the film. Someone just shows a story that does not carry a semantic load, even better if the creator manages to convey it without the help of dialogue. Here, in the film, the author tries to come to something, but what he comes to, it is clear only to him.
In the film, a good atmosphere, good music helps to immerse yourself in this atmosphere, and the actors act well. Also very good landscape and smooth shots, marking good camera work.
In general, if we consider this picture as a debut, then it is not bad, at the level of coursework, directorial faculty, and if we take it seriously, then it lacks the disclosure of the main idea of the entire narrative.
Short films are a genre unfamiliar to me. For this reason, I cannot say how competently the composition of the film is built, perhaps it was on it that the emphasis was placed, since the set, climax and denouement do not seem too long. Another thing catches the eye - the technical capabilities of the film leave much to be desired. It is noticeable that due to the absence of an operator in many moments, the camera simply lies, or stands on a chair, an unconnected dropper, a recorder that does not work on the record, etc. look implausible. This can be justified by a small budget. But, again, cinema has examples of low-budget films with good reviews.
In principle, such moments could not save time, given that in the author’s films always pay great attention to detail. Perhaps it would save the situation if the film would be made playful, but there is no much emphasis on the characters. There are a number of emotional moments, but why remember them, if the main load is still on the voiceover? If it were a movie, would it be emotional? A picture involving serious social issues, in principle, can not be stingy on emotions. The obvious positive point is that the disease is shown in very detail. The author devoted a lot of time to it and, most likely, for some time was inspired by real stories of people. Viewers who do not “eat” enough social, such a film can even penetrate, and they will not notice some obvious flaws.
Bottom line: the main problem is that we have a beautiful Gioconda, only here it is written with a paintbrush on a notebook page.
Not being a big fan of short films, the other day I was advised the debut film of aspiring director Malik Timirbulatov “The Cliff”. I agreed, because I have no special experience in watching this kind of movie and especially Russian production.
The plot tells about a guy named Adam, who was prescribed a fatal diagnosis - incurable cancer. Throughout the picture, he writes down his thoughts on a tape recorder, describing what he is experiencing at the moment.
Watching the film, we immediately understand from which side it succumbs, namely from the pessimistic. Yes, the feeling of hopelessness and sadness is felt in every frame and scene, plus touching music against the background and a sensual monologue of the protagonist. From these tools, the whole “cliff” is formed.
The fact is that I had a completely dual perception of the tape. On the one hand, you feel all the pain of the main character, the fact that his life is inevitably coming to an end, but on the other hand, I do not recognize myself as a fan of such a strong reception as pessimism. It is he who is traced throughout the viewing and I feel sorry, because that is what the film leads us to - to sadness. And I can’t say that I’m happy with this, because there are many famous cases of such people and pictures made about their lives. The most memorable 1+1, Stephen Hawking Universe, Dallas Buyers Club. In each of these films, the main characters are perhaps not in equal positions, but rather limited, which makes their fates sad. But, no, in the end, such people find a rather optimistic way out. In the picture presented today, there is only one sad ending.
Of course, there is a depth in the tape, showing reconciliation with your fate and the inevitable finale. But even such a serious act of the protagonist is thoroughly saturated with hopeless, sad motives, which recalls the recent “Leviathan” or the controversial American film “The Road” in 2009 (which, by the way, was definitely not a hopeless ending).
In the end, to paraphrase the legendary English writer John R. R. Tolkien, author of the epic The Lord of the Rings, “every work can trace the motives of sadness and sadness, perhaps present throughout it, but in the end there must be a finale that gives hope that in the end all will be well.” I say that the short film “The Cliff” perfectly fulfills its function of pessimism and leaves an aftertaste like it, but, fortunately or unfortunately, I can not support such a message, because I look at things more optimistically.
They say that a person begins to truly appreciate his life, being on the fine line between life and death. Looking back, he can find those moments in the past that he would like to correct, and thinking about the future, he can imagine how his life would change for the better. This idea is at the heart of the short psychological drama “The Cliff”.
Synopsis Adam has brain cancer in its last inoperable stage. In addition, he accidentally finds out that he has only a few days to live. Wanting to take them to the hospital, he is still forced to live in a family circle next to his sister and mother. Unable to withstand the suffering of his relatives, Adam leaves home in the hope of seeing his father’s home for the last time before his death.
Speaking of the actors' play, I will only briefly say that the main actors played well, but also not very brightly. Ibraguim Bugaev, who played the role of Adam, slightly overplayed, trying to convey the suffering of the main character. If I mentioned anyone, the actress who played the role of a mother, who is really bad given the idea that her only son will die soon.
The director shot a sharp psychological drama about a powerful human will to life. In the center of the plot is a young guy who lives out the last days, slowly dying of brain cancer. The main character suffers not only because of unbearable pain, but also because of the suffering experienced by his family in the face of his mother and sister. The hero wants to spend his last hours in his father’s home, hidden somewhere in the mountains. Since it makes no sense to disclose more details of the plot, I will only comment that the director should have disclosed the idea of the house, i.e. why it was so important for the hero to visit this house. It would also be worth adding some mikoflashbacks that would reveal the past of the hero before the illness, so that the viewer could understand why he began to appreciate life so much. Finally, I would make an ambiguous ending with some element of mysticism, to give the viewer at least hope that the hero, perhaps, will overcome the disease.
“The Cliff” is an imperfect, but good debut work by director Malik Timirbulatov, which, on the one hand, is imbued with excessive drama, but, on the other, carries a deep meaning about how important it is to value our lives, because we may not have time to do something, to say important to people close to us. I recommend you to watch it.
“Where do ideas come from? Only from stubborn searches bordering on madness. For this person must have the ability to suffer and not lose enthusiasm for long periods. ?
This short film touches on such a complex topic for awareness as incurable and serious (which, although not fatal, but cause endless suffering to the owner) human diseases. People perceive absolutely everything by getting their own abrasions, injuries, that is, gaining personal experience. Therefore, some overlook such topics for reflection, so as not to fall into depression, while others are quite familiar with the feeling of empathy due to the fact that, for example, had a painful experience of screening a seriously ill relative and the history they know.
Plot. The director very boldly and unconventionally for classical cinema shows the family of the main character, who, instead of the usual viewer, "you need to hope, believe and everything will be fine with you," react approximate to life, namely, they are not shy and show their emotions, because they know that there is no salvation. Yes, it is very cruel to the patient, but imagine how the family is aware of what is happening to their son/brother, as a fact that does not need confirmation? I have had such thoughts many times and I have always thought only that the family should not feel any inconvenience in the event of a failure of one of its representatives (such, quite logical reasonings popped up in my head). The ending of the tape made me especially deeply feel the sorrow of what is happening on the screen. I often repeat in my reviews that the most important thing in a film is the emotions and entertainment provided to the viewer. In this case, I was overwhelmed by various emotions, which means that Malik Timirbulatov has coped with the tasks set for himself. The interest is that listening to the voiceover and delving into history, in fact, you stop seeing pictures on the screen, and immerse yourself in your own thoughts, reasoning, imagination.
Actors. The work is a “play of one actor”, accompanied by a voiceover. All the emotions that came from the protagonist of the picture were so exceptional that you believe every facial expression, every word. Great acting!
I must also note the magnificent and fully historical visual series. It looks perfect for a short film.
I just want to highlight one disadvantage. The author shows a very complex social problem that occurs, unfortunately, everyday and everywhere in any country of the world. And we really get into those experiences. But why is there nothing in the cinema but sadness, sadness, pity and other depressing feelings? I’m not saying that you need a happy ending with a complete recovery, but, for example, the main part of the story could be “diluted” by a small disclosure of the personality of the main character (for 2-3 minutes of timekeeping), which seemed to give the viewer a short pause in this stream of depressive thoughts. Here's a little advice...
On the whole, the picture turned out great. The quality of the performance of “The Cliff” sets a certain bar for other young authors to overcome! I advise you to approach the viewing consciously and not be lazy to think about what is happening on the screen. In this niche of short works my assessment of this creation
I understand this is a directorial debut, especially a short one. I do not think that it is necessary to perceive the picture as a movie for a wide range of viewers, the picture is author’s and purely personal. In addition to good landscapes, and quite tolerable acting, I want to praise sincerity. But not everything is so smooth in my opinion, the abundance of heavy scenes that are hard to watch catches the eye. It seems that the author was carried away by presenting the suffering of the hero, and did not know when to finish.
If we take in general, this is a kind of motivational video, slightly stretched but fulfilling its purpose.
For the future, shoot further based on the material I conclude that there is money, and the desire too, so do not waste neither the first nor the last.
Acquaintance with the film. Films participating in the main programs of major international film festivals reach the Russian audience painfully long, and then not always. What can we say about parallel programs, and even more so the short meter, about the films of which it is even difficult to find information. Such author's paintings are promoted only by the producers and creators. The same fate befell the short film “The Cliff” directed by Malik Timirbulatov. Having toured many festivals, from Cannes to Toronto, he has not yet found a response from the audience in his homeland.
General impressions. "The Cliff" is a film-reflection. It raises patients for many questions about incurable diseases. About what is happening tells the voiceover of the main character. The first thing that catches the eye when viewing is a stunningly beautiful picture. The filmmakers went down a difficult path, trying to describe what is happening not only with words and a set of scenes, but also using many artistic and visual means that allow you to perceive the film as a truly integral work.
Visual series. I love when there is a stylish visual range in the film, made in a certain color scheme. When this technique, as in “The Cliff”, is used not only to please the viewer’s eye, it is doubly pleasant. The film is clearly divided into two parts, the first of which is made in a yellowish, warm, but at the same time repulsive color, and the second, contrasting with pure snow-white and gray colors.
Plot. Part one. Despair. In the first part of the film, we are brought up to date. The main character tells about his illness, the attitude of his family to her. This half is riddled with despair and despair. From the seemingly simple narrative, which brings the characters and the viewer even closer, a lump in the throat rises. Great work of actors for the most part manifests itself in this part, their game does not cease to believe for a second.
Plot. Part two. Humility. The transition to the second part is lightning fast. The atmosphere here is emphasized by snowy white landscapes, denoting such a virtue as humility. And although I partially disagreed with the statements of the hero in this part, but the ideas were presented so clearly and openly that it was simply impossible not to respect the point of view of the author. A stunning ending, which raises another question - the desire of a person to leave something behind, will not leave anyone indifferent.
Total. "The Cliff" is a beautiful, soulful, deep film that adequately represents the homeland at international film festivals. The creators of the film, the film crew, and the director in particular, want to wish creative success, continue to develop and do what they are really good at – to shoot high-quality films.