REVIEW - The Redemption of Faust (Directed by Genel Mejia)

The Redemption of Faust, written by Justin Suran (Muse, Visitors, The Screenplay) and Genel Mejia (Visitors, The Screenplay, The Experiment, Normal, Splash Damage, La Mejia, Muse), and also produced and directed by Mejia, is a short film which takes its name from the famous 19th century work 'Faust' by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

In its brief time on the festival circuit, this short has been met with a warm reception, already garnering an official selection at the International Film Festival The Hague based in the Netherlands.

With flavours of mystery, fantasy, and horror, the film's synopsis makes clear that this new story is not an adaptation of the original, but rather, is inspired by it:

"After making a pact with Mephistopheles, Goethe's Faust finds . . . redemption and transcendence in the ideal of the Eternal-Feminine.

Note; this short film is not an adaptation from the book Faust, is only an inspiration."

With a running time of 18 minutes 30 seconds, this isn't a demanding watch in terms of its duration; however, to get the most out of this, the poetic aspects of the dialogue and the mysterious nature of the plot will necessitate higher than usual levels of concentration and effort from some viewers.

We are introduced to our protagonist Faust as he studiously photographs a bridge and the surrounding landscape; played by Regg Davidson (LIFE'NG the Interview, The Swindlers, Frankenism, The Fairfield County Four, Paranormal Salad: The Dressing, The Ride) who, from some angles, rather pleasingly, has a slight passing resemblance to silver screen superstar Colin Firth.

Opening with splendid cinematography and establishing shots, the bar is immediately set to a high standard - which Mejia and his cast and crew sustain throughout - and has also been noted by Julie C. Sheppard at Festival Reviews:

"Every frame is a feast for the eyes and ears. It is unrelentingly beautiful. The cinematography moves at a rapid pace, recounting the experience of the central figure..."

As the story unfurls we are introduced to further characters one at a time, with a charming contribution by Tristan Hissong (The Test, Guilt, What is Yours Belongs to Me, Muse) as Goethe; delivering a strong performance which includes an atmospheric folk-style ditty which he sings very well - a sentiment also echoed by Julie C. Sheppard's review where the singing, and haunting narration by Molly Miklos (The Perfect Candidate, The Choice, The Waiting Room, In Quiet Company), are described as being delivered "masterfully".

The voiceover here is rather reminiscent of Donnie Darko's creepy and nightmarish ghostly Rabbit-man, Frank - which, combined with the immersive sound design really heightens the eerie vibe.

Laura Nimr (Muse, The Experiment) brings an air of mystery with her performance, adding an almost supernatural aspect proceedings.

The experimental style, filmic cinematography and poetic dialogue all coalesce to form a moody and arty short film, potently laced with an enigmatic cocktail of magic and spirituality. Overall, this is an interesting and imaginative story, which will be enjoyed by fans of period dramas and experimental films; but may, by some less discerning viewers, be regarded as an exercise in style over substance.

As a showcase of the collective talents and abilities of Mejia and the entire team involved here, The Redemption of Faust serves to exemplify a standard of production which is not only extremely impressive, but will also serve to keep the names and faces of its cast and crew in the minds of film critics and cinephiles who have the fortune of catching this as it continues to tour the film festival circuit.