VIFF 2024 Review: Cherub
Cherub (2024)
Directed by Devin Shears
Starring Benjamin Turnbull
As seen for the world premiere at the Vancounver International Film Festival (VIFF).
Optimum Immersion (OI) is a concept I’ve been preaching for more than five years now. At film festivals, achieving this level of immersion is a much easier task. Often, trailers for the films haven’t been seen, and some titles may not even have distribution yet. Plus, you’d have to go out of your way to find any word-of-mouth buzz online. Cherub is a small indie gem that I was fortunate enough to experience with OI, and I’m now urging you to do the same. But how do you recommend a film without giving anything away? I’m not sure, but let’s give it a shot.
Cherub was made on a shoestring budget of just $10,000, and yet, it looks stunning. Orson Welles once said, “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations,” and this film’s limitations elevate its artistry. The choice to shoot in a 4:3 aspect ratio is brilliant, and the score, brimming with ambient chimes, breathes life into the story.
We follow the lonely life of Harvey, who yearns for connection but finds the world intimidating. Building confidence is a struggle for him, but with a bit of luck, things just might change. The editing is exquisite, incorporating stylistic, in-between scene vignettes that focus on microscopic elements bursting with vibrant colors. This offers a perfect contrast to the bleakness of Harvey’s everyday life.
The film concludes with a pitch-perfect ending, and while Cherub may be light on dialogue, it still manages to say so much.
You, too, can experience this micro-budget masterpiece at the Vancouver International Film Festival on Thursday, October 3, at 6:30 p.m. at The Cinematheque, or Friday, October 4, at 3:45 p.m. at International Village 8.
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