Short Film Analysis

Short Film: La Cruz (The Cross)Genre: ThrillerProduced By: Beniwood ProductionLength: 9 minutes

La Cruz is a thriller that centres on a simple driving lesson of a father and daughter which then escalates into something more. The short film main focus in the opening minutes is to build a relationship between the father and daughter. This is done through the narrative and dialogue between both characters. Events prior to the film states that the relationship between the daughter and father had been strained due to her parent’s separation. The audience feels empathy for the father as he pleads his innocent to his daughter we are left wanting both characters to cement their relationship. The father is teaching his daughter how to drive, this is a narrative device used by the director because it forces both characters to converse with each other, letting out their true feelings. Set on a lonely winding road on the backdrop of a beautiful summers morning. This allows for unconventional setting when the dynamic of the film shifts.

The driving lesson is stopped abruptly when Vero fails to shift into third gear leading the car to stop in the middle of the road. This allows both characters to talk about things other than driving the car. The conversation deepens has we step into the past of both characters and the audience feels empathy for both. They were both separated from each other with neither keeping in contact with this driving lesson a way to rekindle what was once lost. The dialogue between the two characters is emphatic and truly gripping the father reaches out to his daughter for acceptance and forgiveness. This scene is focused on the both of father and daughter the director chose to have know score music in the background which could have helped made this scene even more emotional but the fact there isn’t any makes this scene what it is. The use of simple camera shots while both character converses in the car helps makes this scene both realistic and captivating. The audience is able to feel the emotion of both characters the shift from happiness to sadness when the father remembers something from her past. The sense of real emotions coming from characters is

unbelievable as he not only is able confront his daughter about the things in his past but confront his own weaknesses as a man. The lighting in this scene and like the rest of the film is very bright the colours are not dull this is an

The father smiles remembering how he could never refuse his daughter when they were still a family.

unconventional aspect of this film as most thrillers use a lot of low key lighting and really dull colours. As both characters continue the journey up the mountain Vero sees an apparition of a woman in which she abruptly stops the car for the second time. The build up to this scene sees the director use score music for the first time. The music used is ghostly and subtle as it quietly plays in the back ground as the car approaches the woman. Vero is unable to control herself as she screams and is unable to control the car as it spins out of her control. Vero is in a

panic as she rushes out to see if she had hit this woman. This sparks a series of events that completely changes the dynamic of the film. The rest of the film becomes a dark thrill ride as the audience sees the father change from the man seeking redemption to a rampaging lunatic. This shift brings a different life to the film. The police officer is violently attacked by the father after he had stopped them. This attack could be viewed as the father protecting his daughter after her getting a fine would stop her from being presented for her public exam. This scene is very violent as the father uses a mallet to crash down on the officer’s head multiple times with blood splattering everywhere including the camera lens. This is used to break t he fourth wall as this was done intentionally by the director to fully immerse the audience in the breakdown of the father. The horrific screams of the daughter can be heard as she witnesses her father kill the man. She left to feeling guilty as her father tries reassure her this was the right thing to do. All this set against the backdrop of ambient and the natural sound of the ocean crashing against the shore. The director uses a cutaway to show the weapon the father had used to kill the officer.

The father and daughter make their escape after hearing sirens coming from the distance. As they make their escape the pace of the film becomes faster as revelations are revealed. The relationship between the daughter and father deteriorates as the dead body of the mother is found inside the car. We start to feel for the daughter safety as the director uses a range of close-up showing different events within the car.

Vero point of view as the woman seemingly comes out of nowhere causing distress for Vero.

The police officer lays on the dying as the father once again approaches to carry on his violent attack

The blood splashed on the camera lens as the father tries to comfort his daughter

The score music played during these scenes creates a sense of doom. The tone is very dark and blends well with the action on screen. The dialogue within this scene is also very tragic. It leads way to suggest an unhappy ending for the two characters. The father’s lunatic ramblings about being together with his daughter for ever connotes the idea of a man lost with no way of getting back. He has nothing to loose since he was diagnosed with cancer. This coupled with the screams of the daughter as she realises what is about to happen paints a daunting picture as the audience begins to realise the imminent death of both passengers. The final shot used by the director as the car hurtles into the water is close-up of a cross swinging from side to side. This connotes to the idea about the father looking for peace as throughout the film he talks about how he is changed man through the help of his priest but in irony he could only find his peace in death.

A close-up of the father’s hands as he carries on driving, after slapping his daughter across her face, with no regards to her safety. This is a complete change in character to the man the audience were introduced to

A close-up of the daughters face as she franticly panics inside the car pleading to her father to stop. She then makes an attempt to grab the wheel, which results in her being slapped.