Review: Blend, Ashleigh da Silva,documentary, South Africa

Blend is premiering at Encounters International South African Documentary Festival 2020 which is on August 20 -30, 2020. This film is available until August 30,2020 [until midnight]. There is a 400 view limit per screening at Encounters. Screenings are geo-blocked for South African viewers

Direct booking link at Encounters: https://encounters.co.za/film/blend/

Production and booking details for Encounters, follow

I loved this short film, directed by Ashleigh da Silva. In 15 minutes, da Silva evokes a beautiful love story, through the use of narrative documentary, cinematography and animation. The dialogue sound bites are heightened by gesture and image. It would have been easy to descend into a polemic about transcending cultural and racial boundaries. Da Silva allows the love and respect of the two protagonists, Monique and Leonard to conjure up a sense of their journey from when they met in high school science class to their sealing their relationship with two wedding ceremonies. The fact that he is black and she is white is not foregrounded. Sure, it is raised but it’s not a black versus white story. It is about two individuals who have embraced diversity. At the one wedding ceremony, they are buffeted by wind. Monique says that is nothing – compared to what they have gone through. Metaphorically, it is a powerful image.

Ashleigh da Silva has blended image and issue into a seamless love story which I think is most relatable in a global context. I look forward to seeing more films from da Silva.

Blend

Director: Ashleigh da Silva

Country: South Africa

Year: 2019

Running Time: 15 minutes

Language: English

Contact: Instagram @ash_da_silva

Image credit: supplied.