Review | STAR

In this year's edition of the SHIFT Film Festival, the Youth Jury got the opportunity to receive a free-of-charge coaching by the film critic Bjorn Gabriels who taught the basics of film analysis and how to write a good film review. Catherina Iosifidis' film STAR was one of the 12 films which has officially been selected to the festival's Short Film Competition. After having attended the workshops, Youth Jury member Nino Valcq reviews the film.

Dancing can be competitive and STAR shows this in a interesting way. We follow Stella, a young girl at a dancing school and in rivalry with Maud, another dancer in her class. We see the whole experience trough Stella's eyes. There isn't really a lot of dialogue in the film so it tells its story purely through visuals. The movie succeeds in that department. With the 4:3 aspect ratio you get a really intimate look at Stella. You can see what is going through her mind in every scene. From the way she looks at Maud to the dancing, you know exactly what is going on in her mind.

Colour is also an important aspect of the film. The film has this surreal aspect to it. Sometimes we get carried away in a purple lit room where Stella dances freely in her own fantasy world and sometimes in a blue one, when things aren't going well. This is a great visual way to show the emotions of a character.

Another stylistic choice that is worth mentioning is that there is no music throughout the film. While other films which are set in the backdrop of a dance school use music, this one decided not to do it. This choice gives the film an even more intimate feel. You hear every breath and every move the characters make.

The acting also deserves special mention. The camera does a lot of close-ups on the actors and I cannot imagine how hard it must be to give the right performance, but they pulled it off. The last thing I want to mention is the choreography. The way it is shot, with a handheld camera, was a great choice by director Catherina Iosifidis. The way she captures every dance is beautiful. You see the freedom in the movements and you can see that Stella is truly herself in those moments.

STAR is a intimate film about jealousy and emotions. The way this is captured is beautifully done through the use of colors and camera movement. STAR is a perfect showcase of what film can do.

(c) All visual material is used with the filmmaker's permission.