This week’s Pick of the Week is a wonderful film by Rachel Annette Helson, and written by Kimberlea Kressal. This tense drama focuses on grief, as one woman’s loss turns into a crusade. The powerful impact of this trauma leads Kay down the road of obsession, spending nearly all her time on the hunt for any sign of children that have gone missing in the National Forest in which she is a mainstay. From behind trees and under as much cover as possible Kay continues to search, despite pleas from forest rangers to rein it in.
This is a very powerful movie, showing the depths that a powerful trauma can take a person down. Kay’s way of dealing with the things she’s been through show a person who is deeply unwell, but trying to process whoever she can. While obviously unhealthy, it’s not hard to see that Kay is someone trying to help in her own strange way, as a method of making up for what’s happened.
Helson and Kressal delivered an emotional film, and one that sticks with you. Not only because of their talent as writers and directors, but also due to those who they worked with. Melissa Ponzio was impressive, giving us the steel focus on someone so honed in on something that it is nearly impossible to break them free, the relentlessness of someone with an incredibly developed belief and a desire to right a wrong, but also the vulnerability to show the pain of what got them here.
Joining Ponzio are Nicole Pacent and Josh Banks, who support Ponzio in a wonderful way, not only showing empathy with this person whose having one of, if not the, worst time of her life, but also trying to find ways to support her before it’s too late. Both of them bring a much needed steadying hand to the character of Kay that is works really well in balancing out the film.
Most works of short film are very people driven, guided by the characters as they take a journey. Hatched is no exception to that, but instead of a shining example of what happens when that kind of storytelling is done well. This was a brilliant film that more than deserves its place as Pick of the Week. Be sure not to miss it, only on BitPix.
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