Revisited Review

Revisited, dir Iain Forbes, Den Norske Filmskolen, Norway

What would it be like if a lost loved one could return for even just a day, or a moment? Many people go their whole lives thinking about what they would say if they had one last opportunity. Revisited, directed by Iain Forbes, explores the reality of that very idea.

Revisited starts off with what appears to be authentic home video footage of a girl, Tyra, flying kites and playing with her toys as her dad records. All of of a sudden her dad starts to feel light-headed, loses balance and falls as the camera footage goes black.

Fast-forward to present day. The main character, Tyra, (played by Norwegian actress Thea Sofie Loch Naess) is seen playing a game of charades with her friends. As she defeatedly sits down from her turn of acting out Thor she ignores an incoming call. After the caller persists, she breaks away from the party to answer the call from her brother. He convinces her to attend an already-turned down invite to see her mother this weekend by letting her know their mother is sick.

After she arrives, it is quickly revealed that her mom is in fact not sick and, rather, she is there for the 20-year anniversary of her fathers death. Tyra, her mother, and her brother Vemund fight their way through a snowy blizzard to the gravesite of their father.

Director Iain Forbes captures the family dynamics perfectly: the nostalgic vibes of being home, reminiscing with family photos, predictions about what they would be doing today if their father was still here. The more nostalgia tries to pull Tyra into staying home, the more she wants nothing to do with it. It seems as though she refuses to have closure with her feelings about her father. She immediately tries to find an escape away by asking to be driven to the train station that night.

"Just let her go,” says Vemund to his mother after Tyra makes to leave.

Tyra takes offence and loses her appetite for dinner. As she walks away from the table she notices someone out standing in the yard in the dark and windy night.

As Vemund answers the door, the slow, shocking truth is revealed through each character's utter confusion as their late father steps into the house. The moment reels the viewer in completely as one wonders with anticipation how the silence of utterly shocked faces will break.

Revisited is an intense examination of grief. When someone leaves, what do we hold on to? How do we deal with it? How do our relationships change? What would it be like to stare grief directly in the eye and have to talk about it? It cleverly flips the script on Tyra's denial of her father's death; just as she refuses to address her grief, her mom and brother refuse to address his re-apperance, brushing it off as, “Not everything can be understood or explained”.

Thea Sofie Loch Naess’ acting rings true throughout the short as she emotes to fit the situation - whether it’s joy, confusion or anger, you feel yourself going through the journey with her. In an emotional final ten minutes, all the pain bottled up inside Tyra boils over as she expresses everything she has held onto. One can feel the honesty in the portrayal, as if a weight has been removed from her, and she expresses her feelings and reconciles with those around her. The bringing in of someone from the past is brilliantly used to shock Tyra into addressing her internal conflict and provide closure.

Revisited is Iain Aigin Stronach Forbes' graduation film at Den Norske Filmskolen in Norway. It is one of three winners in the live action category of the Student Academy Awards.

Review by: Brandon MacMurray