I still remember the day vividly.
I was a young man. Maybe twenty. Maybe not quite. I had just lost a limb, not particularly unexpected for someone born with spina bifida who'd already far surpassed life expectations. The change in my body triggered something weird. It was indescribable. My mind felt as if waves were crashing over me as I remembered traumatic childhood experiences and experienced flashback after flashback.
This change. This body change had triggered my body's memory of experiences I'd fought for years to repress.
No one believed me. A suicide attempt later, I was locked away for several weeks never to be believed until years later when I would finally find begin to make sense of these memories and the monsters that were consuming me.
To be sure, To Hold the Night does not mirror my experiences, however, it so masterfully creates a tapestry of intimacy and universality that for those who resonate with the film, and there will be many, it will be a film that evokes memories, inspires reflection, and affirms truth.
Nadine (Anwen O'Driscoll) is a young flight attendant who wakes up in her childhood home. It's abundantly clear from first glance that this is a jarring experience, a trauma really and likely not the first trauma she's ever experienced. She doesn't remember getting there. She also doesn't remember the groom she is about to marry nor the courtship that has allegedly led to it.
To Hold the Night is a haunting film. I'd nearly call it a horror film, though I hesitate to do so because such a label carries expectations that won't be met here. In this case, the horror is internal and yet incredibly vividly realized. As someone who has long followed the works of director Jessica Petelle and screenwriter Alyson Shelton, I must acknowledge up front that To Hold the Night is practically a dream project from both weaving perfectly together their gifts for fierce yet intimate storytelling and stunning imagery.
Set for its world premiere at the Toronto Shorts International Film Festival this weekend, To Hold the Night is a 16-minute work of cinematic wonder that elicits both thought and inescapable feelings.
Who can you trust when you can't remember?
Anyone? Anyone?
While I believe To Hold the Night to be a film of universal appeal, in our culture I can't help but believe it will resonate most strongly with women who will identify with Shelton's sharp, insightful storytelling whether their experiences are identical or even similar. Just as I can say for those of us who live with a disability in society, there simply are those experiences for women that create a bond, a connection that need not be spoken.
Yet, here it is. Spoken.
It must be said, first of all, that Anwen O'Driscoll gives an exquisite performance as Nadine. Set to star in the upcoming The Bearded Girl, O'Driscoll's work here makes us believe we're seeing a star on the rise with a performance that is aching with vulnerability with hints of insanity both assigned and self-directed. It's a jarring performance that I still can't shake.
To Hold the Night is set in the 1960's, an early electric vibe quickly replaced by something resembling a classic, gothic really, vibe that exists somewhere between Brit family drama, Vincent Price psychologically-tinged horror, and surrealism immersed in deep humanity.
In case it's unclear, I loved To Hold the Night.
While O'Driscoll offers a tour-de-force here, rest assured the entire ensemble is strong here. Chris Potter's George radiates layer upon layer despite having relatively sparse dialogue. You can't forget him and you really, really want to forget him. Megan Hutchings as Anne could have so easily been one-note, however, Hutchings commands our attention and never lets go. Mike Taylor's Tad is at first seemingly harmless, though his passive-aggressive patriarchy practically bounces off the walls.
Lensing by Brad Turner mesmerizes from beginning to end. Turner quite masterfully captures the structure of trauma and the ways in which it builds the walls of our environment. Turner's work is simultaneously beautiful to behold and effective in further immersing us within the story. It's not often I say for a short film that one needs to watch through the credits, however, it's an absolute necessity here.
Kudos as well for Erica Procunier's original music that perfectly complements Petelle's direction and Shelton's storytelling. Costume design by Nola Chaters is inspired and production design from Craig Harris somehow works alongside every dramatic note of the film.
I could go on and on.
After this weekend's premiere at Toronto, To Hold the Night is already set for California's SIMI Film Festival in September. There's no doubt there are many more fest appearances to come. A visual feast with intelligent, engaging storytelling, To Hold the Night is one to watch for as its festival journey begins.
Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic
