Proving once more that whatever our minds can dream up we can now do thanks to technology we can access more readily than ever before, Australian short film Waltzing Tilda is a technically brilliant and unique student film that should prove a career defining moment for all involved.
The winner of the 2016 Sydney Film School Festival awards for Best Director and Audience Award amongst others, this done dirt cheap effort by rising Sweden born/Australian based director Jonathan Wilhelmsson mixes in Donnie Darko like otherworldly vibes (rabbit included) as we're thrust into a people-less Sydney landscape with troublemaking Tilda, who wanders the streets and sights of the famed harbor city sometimes blowing things up, sometimes strolling around in the buff and other times just spending quality time with her pet rabbit Shaun.
It's an impressive effort by Wilhelmsson, with the digital effects work his created from a graffiti clad Sydney Opera House to a population zero streetscape as good as you'll see in not only a short film but a feature length film but what's most impressive of all is the fact Wilhelmsson doesn't lose site of the heart needed in films both short or long in length and we get that over 15 minutes with Holly Fraser's sure to be attention grabbing turn as Tilda.
We're quickly made aware that Tilda is a bit of a lost soul. From her missed calls on her phones from family and friends, through to her aimlessly walking the bustling streets of Sydney before the mysterious population decrease, Tilda has a lot to see and a missing part of her that is holding her back and Fraser's turn is a real credit to the actress who must surely be considered one of the countries rising stars on the back of this performance.
Final Say –
When a film as assured and confidently put together as Waltzing Tilda comes along its safe to say filmmaking is alive and well and perhaps as strong as it ever was on our fair Australian shores.
An odd, charming and technically marvellous film school effort, this is the short film of the year and an exciting introduction to the movie making mind of Wilhelmsson and the continued development of impressive young actress Fraser.
4 talking rabbits out of 5
