Masque

I caught a screening of Masque at a film festival recently and was taken back a bit by this film. It is a short, but does not have the feel of short film. It pulls you in like a feature film would with character development, makeup, camera movement and musical score, but is still just only like a half hour long. From all the shorts I have screened in my life, this was unlike any. It seemed like the filmmakers were wishing to raise the bar of a short film.

Without having too many spoilers, Masques tells the story of a prizefighter who is betrayed and left for dead. It tells a unique story of redemption in which even the anti-hero can change his ways. It takes place in the early 20th century and begins with an old-timey boxing match that pulls you in. I was not surprised to read in my festival flyer that Masque had won other festivals. It is refreshingly enjoyable and cinematic addition to the short film genre.