As Kermit the Frog once observed, "It's not easy being green." People look down on you or make judgments based on how others look, especially those who are different from themselves. With "February", Nathan Deming makes some bold writing and directing choices to thrust the immigrant experience into the limelight, placing it front and center with the protagonist, Miguel.
Miguel is a Mexican immigrant, who recently came to Tomah, Wisconsin in search of a better life for him and his family. He is a bit of a social recluse, understandably so after moving almost 2,000 miles away. However, in the midst of this enormous life change, he manages to hold down a job performing odd jobs at a hotel (maintenance work & cleaning). Miguel runs into several instances of cultural differences and at times nearly outright racism directed towards Hispanics.
Miguel's sister, Rosa, and brother-in-law, Louie, provide him food and shelter as he works to make his life better. After an incident leaves him nearly unemployed, he stumbles upon the lesser known pastime of ice fishing. Louie, despite attempting to scare Miguel, reluctantly hooks him up with Carl, an ice-fishing enthusiast.
"February"'s strengths lie in its overarching story to help shape life as it happens to Miguel. Deming's writing and direction keep this nearly 48 minute short film on pace, that will keep audience's attention on what happens next. The writing sometimes fell into several trope traps, but overall the script was solid and fresh. The film's editing, coloring, and cinematography are all top notch, especially the sound levels and sound quality (which can easily suffer even in blockbuster Hollywood films).
Standout Performances -
Miguel - David Ezekiel Duran breathes life into Miguel in a way that many men can identify with, painfully exposing the nerves about loneliness and looking to bond with other men but unaware how to go about it.
Louie - Erick Inestroza carries a charisma necessary to bring the social butterfly of the film out and build the bridge that leads Miguel to Carl.
Carl - Ritchie Gordon's portrayal of Carl is the strongest performance of the film, with a natural gruffness and depth of character that is lacking in much modern cinema.
