Review for ‘‘Bolide ’’ by Anu Vaidyanathan
Bolide is Anu Vaidyanathan's take on a monologue that is theatrical through-and-through, as we are put in an uncomfortably intimate position to experience an ageing actress' recollection of memories, events and regrets, with the tension created within the first seconds never letting up, and on the contrary, increasing beat by beat.
Cinema, and indeed all narrative art, has long been either fearful or shown a macabre interest in women driven past their breaking point and into 'madness', be it with the visceral approach of noir films, the violent and grand plots of ancient tragedies, or the softer, empathetic touch of a Cassavetes. What Vaidyanathan achieves however is worthy of its own categorization, as she combines the narrative strengths of theater and the power of the camera movement to expose the soul of a character accomplished and hurt in equal measure.
Specifically, the director's choice to shoot in black and white not only functions as an homage to noir tradition as well as a way to heighten the claustrophobia and suffocation felt by both protagonist and audience, but it also allows us to focus on the true heart of the short, which is to say the raw emotion of a woman that has fought and been fought against, as expressed through both the excellent script and Emma Wilkinson-Wright's masterful performance.
On the technical front, Vaidyanathan's camerawork is definitely the film's strongest suit, utilizing close-ups, unconventional angles, tracking shots, and brisk editing choices to convey at first a tension and sense of horror, then pure claustrophobia, and eventually ramping up to rage and intensity.
In conclusion, Bolide is a sensitive yet raw exploration of what decades of pent-up discontentment, betrayal and being forced to occupy two worlds at the same time, the professional and that of family, do to a person, who, despite their best intentions and defenses may eventually burst open to reveal a righteous fury against systematic injustice and exploitation.
