Se dit d’un cerf qui quitte son bois (Said Of A Deer That Sheds Its Antlers) is a perfect dark comedy short. Salomé Crickx has created a wonderful piece of magic here in this instantly rewatchable film.
Today is the 167th annual Shedding, a cheerful ceremony that brings all generations together to promote ideological renewal. This year, Ben and her parents will experience it first-hand.
There will be no getting around this fact. I adore this film; a moment after the opening epitomises a paternal relationship that I experienced. As the father is sitting waiting for his moment, he is trying to assist his sons in the task at hand. All the while yelling at him harshly. It is a small scene in the grand scope of Se dit d’un Cerf qui quitte son bois, but it is perfectly written and performed. You feel the relationship with these people and the wonderful tone that Crickx wants from her film.
Crickx gives us an opening to remember, full of suspense; we are unsure which way the film intends to go. Indeed, Crickx almost has us thinking Se dit d’un Cerf qui quitte son bois is going to be a tension-filled thriller. Then the moment happens, and all our thoughts are thrown into the air as the film reveals its true motive. Once it does get going, Crickx shows us that she is far from a one-trick pony in her ability as she pulls us into her film, perhaps for some kicking and screaming, but nonetheless, we become invested.
This film is rife with moments that will get a laugh or a gasp out of you. Be it the previous scene mentioned or watching characters not quite ready for their fate to clutch, kiss, cuddle, or do anything they can to delay the process is fantastic. Ben’s interaction with her family has you turned every which way emotionally. Obviously, her father is not keen on what is coming, and Ben is verging on non-plussed but is still hesitant enough.
Salomé Crickx makes a firm mark in their debut short. What works so well in the film is how centred it is. We only see three groups throughout the film, and the insular nature of it all makes us wonder if this is what it is like in rural Belgium, then what on Earth is going on in major cities? It opens a tremendous amount of intrigue to the possibilities of this world. Yet, we could easily never see anything else from it. This could very much be a great little capsule of this fictional world.
The chaos that runs wild through Se dit d’un Cerf qui quitte son bois is a finely balanced one, and even when we have moments of madness, true emotion comes through in a great look at the difference between those young people who “celebrate” Shedding. In the end, this is a brilliant breath of fresh air. Do not hesitate to find this film.
★★★★★
The Fantasia International Film Festival takes place in Montreal from July 20th through August 9th.
For more of our coverage of Fantasia 2023, please see below:
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