Hurricane writer/director Christiano Dias has acknowledged that part of the inspiration for this dark comedy comes from his own illogical fears of the terrorism threat in the United States. Set in the 1950s, Hurricane follows an increasingly unfortunate series of events after Oslo (Corey Page) and Eva Alduars (Lisa Roumain) have their dinner interrupted by a suspected communist (David Jay). 

For Dias, it's the re-emergence of those fears and anxieties, paranoia really, that have inspired Hurricane toward becoming the incredibly dark yet comical film that it is with just the right hint of realism to make it all a whole lot funnier and a whole lot more frightening. 

As the film kicks off, Oslo is sitting at the dinner picking his teeth with a fork while his wife finishes up a dinner he may or may not actually be looking forward to consuming. There's a palpable tension between the two, a psychosocial edge that fills the distance between them even when no words are being spoken. Both Page and Roumain bring this tension to life, both humorously and more than a little frighteningly. 

By the time that David Jay's seemingly innocent newspaper subscription salesman arrives at their door, the entire scenario already feels like a paranoia-driven powder keg. This doesn't change for the rest of the nearly 14-minute film. 

Hurricane has proven to be popular on the indie fest circuit with prizes ranging from an Audience Award at the HollyShorts Film Festival's monthly screenings to multiple nominations and wins at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards among others. The film is getting set for several screenings in the Texas area at the end of April, continued success for a short film that has continues Dias's growth as both a writer and a director. 

The film's production quality is top notch with Roumain herself deserving kudos for the film's period appropriate production design and D.P. Andrew Messersmith's lensing capturing both the humor and the paranoia in every memorable moment. Daniel James Chan's original music helping to guide the film's excellent pacing. 

Hurricane feels familiar, uncomfortably so, yet that's precisely the point for a film that manages to encourage us to laugh while not losing the overall impact of its powerful message. If you get a chance to check it out, definitely do so.

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic