Based upon the poems of Hungarian poet Beke Tamás Tarsoly, writer/director József Gallai's Perihelion is the kind of film that I point to when I get a post-review complaint from an indie filmmaker whining about my harsh review of his/her low-budget effort.

This is how it's done. Partnering once again with D.P. Gergö Elekes, Gallai' has crafted a beautiful and, well, poetic 20-minute short film is a love letter filled with grief and remorse and resignation and that struggle with which so many can identify when a loved one has been lost and we are left to figure out how life is to go on and we are to continue doing the things we've always done - alone.

Gallai' focuses on the power of image more than simply telling a narrative story, though certainly a story unfolds. Rather than a beginning to end story, this is the story of a life and of how that life is impacted in ways big and small through loss. The film's narration, by Gabor Varga, is effective in giving the story a meditative quality that is intimate and at times uncomfortably so.

The poet, portrayed by Balint Egri, is seen as almost a shadow of his former self and is visualized in such a way that it's clear that part of him is missing, going through the motions of life yet irrevocably changed.

Perihelion is a deeply felt short film that will immerse audiences in its emotions and will likely have those who've experienced similar losses reflecting upon their past and where their life has gone. Visually stunning and emotionally satisfying, Perihelion is poetry that comes to life in the life that unfolds on screen.

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic