This short film directed and written by Hayden Mclean has a wonderful spiritual quality to it that makes it compelling to watch.
Returning to the Hollyshorts Film Festival for the second year in a row, following on his BAFTA- and BIFA-qualifying debut, The Last Dance, Hayden Mclean has created a wonderfully spiritual and poetic new short film FarEye.
Centring on a Jamaican boy, who flees his abusive home before discovering a secluded Rastafarian community in the woods, this is a story about healing and discovering things about himself he didn’t realise until circumstances demanded it of him.
Wonderfully sensitive and in many ways poetic, Mclean has created a film that leaves you wanting more – to really get to know about this character and how he grows in the wake of traumatic circumstances.
There is certainly a darkness to the script in the way in which the narration at the beginning has a slight ominous tone in which it is delivered, but yet this tone changes into something more hopeful and intriguing as it goes on – hence why you are left wanting more. In addition there is advice that strikes a perfect tone, fitting in with the way in which the story unfolds perfectly.
FarEye has been gorgeously shot, filled with warm colour and spirituality that draws the audience in effectively. With plenty to take away from it, there is a quiet reflectiveness to it that adds an air of mystery as to where it is going to end up.
Everything has been carefully constructed that leaves you wondering what is next for the character. There is definitely grounds to make this into a longer feature film – the premise has been well executed here.
What Hayden has created here is a film that celebrates Jamaica’s beauty, while paying homage to the wonderful culture and spirituality that it has to offer as well. Throughout it is wonderfully intimate, sensitive and expertly crafted.
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️