Review for ‘‘Summer Flamingo Winter Flamingo’’ by David Anderson

Duality is a favorite subject of ours in art. It is no surprise then that we were impressed by David Anderson's short film Summer Flamingo Winter Flamingo, wherein he manages to touch upon a plethora of subjects in just under 3 minutes that go by too fast.

Through fast-paced abstract edits we follow a man through two aspects of his life, as symbolized by the pink Summer flamingo, and the white Winter flamingo. The film eloquently presents both extremes of the protagonist's personality, from the extroverted & hungry for socializing "pink" side, to the isolated, introverted, detached "white" opposite.

Without a single line of dialogue, the director makes it clear that this division isn't only applicable to the literal changes in mood everyone experiences, but is also inherent in the experience of mental illness such as bipolar disorder, as well as an unfortunate facet of the existence of all LGBTQI+ people, who have to lead a double life on a daily basis, split between their true self and society's restrictive demands & expectations.

Artitstically, the film excels, as the editing and imagery are thematically cohesive, pop yet serious, modern yet time-tested. The variety in cinematography, direction & esthetic betrays a wide range of influences and homages to the great artistic currents of the 20th century and beyond.

To summarize, Summer Flamingo Winter Flamingo's short runtime is packed with symbolism and evocative imagery. It tells a simple yet relatable story, and contributes to the tasteful representation & promotes understanding of marginalized groups. We hope to see more ambitious projects from the team behind it.