Sylvia

This is one of the best short films out there. It tells a story of love, loss and tragedy in the most poetic of ways. The acting from lead Jolie Lennon is profound, quiet and utterly brilliant where the cinematography and visuals lend itself to the story in ways some short films tend to miss.

This short does not shove the emotion of the tale down your throat, rather it lets the story unfold in a stunning and ultimately phenomenal way.

A delicate and emotionally touching piece. A beautiful debut which hopefully spawns some well deserved careers.

Greetings again from the darkness. Sure, we like to "name" our cars. And yes, we have memories of our first car - some fond, some a bit less so. But deep emotional attachments to a car are somewhat rare. After all, it's just hunks of metal, rubber, and plastic all assembled into a form of transportation ... a vehicle to get us from one place to the next, and hopefully back home again.

We join in what looks to be a typical family road trip. Mother, grandmother and two young girls are buckled in as the miles roll on. Mom scolds the kids for making a mess, and the grandmother eases tension by passing out candy. A roadside stop for ice cream is always a popular idea. What we learn is that the mother is having financial difficulties and the purpose of the trip is to sell the car she has named "Sylvia", after the classic song from Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show.

Richard Prendergast's first film is 'based on a true story', and it is absolutely brilliant in its presentation - both visually and emotionally. Jolie Lennon, known best for her stunt work, is terrific as Mandy, the mom who must sell the car. It's clear that she is carrying a weight on the trip, and the stunning third act brings it all into focus. This is an extraordinary short film, and it's one I would have gladly paid 40 cents more for the next 3 minutes.

Sylvia packs a punch. The acting was incredible, the storyline is so powerful it takes you on a complete emotional rollercoaster. I laughed, I cried and then I cried some more. The cinematograpraphy and grade are beautiful. A must watch!

OK, full disclosure: I know the writer/director Richard Prendergast from our old days making snowboard magazines and videos. So when he gave me a sneak preview to what he'd been up to since we last spoke a couple of years ago, I watched with interest mixed with dread - what if it sucked, and I had to pretend I'd enjoyed it? Faking it is not my style.

Luckily, I had nothing to worry about. Prendi's come a long, long way since we last worked together, and this elegantly crafted short is a gem. I don't want to give away too much, but Sylvia is clever, touching and comes with a devastatingly effective twist in the tail. But the true payoff was finding out this tale is based on a true story. I'll leave it at that...