La gran obra

"The Masterpiece" is a short film that grabs the audience's attention from the start, building tension with surgical precision. Directed by Alex Lora Cercos, the film begins with a seemingly innocent gesture: Salif (Babou Cham) offers to help Leo (Daniel Grao) and Diana (Melina Matthews) dispose of a broken TV. This simple interaction quickly turns into a psychological game where trust and suspicion duel with each scene. The script is skillfully written, introducing behavioral nuances and exploring cultural and social contrasts between the characters, keeping the narrative unpredictable.

Cercos' direction stands out by using tension as the main storytelling tool. The pacing of the short is meticulously calculated, alternating moments of apparent calm with increasing discomfort. Salif and his son Yousef (Adam Nourou) in Leo and Diana's home transform the familiar setting into an emotional battleground, where glances and small gestures speak as loudly as full conversations. This atmosphere is heightened by the intelligent use of close shots and angles that highlight the vulnerability and distrust between the characters.

What makes "The Masterpiece" so compelling is its ability to manipulate the audience's perceptions. Who's right? Who's wrong? The moral ambiguity invites deeper reflections on prejudice, privilege, and what it really means to trust someone. The ending is both surprising and satisfying, closing the emotional cycle in a striking way. Cercos delivers a work that, at its core, doesn't just entertain but challenges the audience to confront their own judgments and discomforts.

I guess this short film was inspired by PARASITE (2019), not the story but the atmosphere and social message, exploring very briefly the social class contrast. The score is absolutely terrific, all long this short featuure, providing a disturbing atmosphere which grows and grows. A short film that you can't forget, and I am not surprised it was rewarded; it deserves it. I hope many folks have or will see it. Spain is good for this kind of stuff. The dialogues are not as important as the atmosphere. Don't miss this short film, it should be the draft of a more important, longer movie for the big screen.