Curfew

Richie is preparing to end his life when the phone rings: the sister he has not spoken to in years needs someone to look after her nine year old daughter for a few hours. He agrees, and the film is those few hours. Shawn Christensen wrote it, directed it and plays the lead. The engine is the child's direct questions and the man's inability to answer them; nothing is explained and the reason for the estrangement is never stated. A brief dance sequence in a bowling alley shifts the register instantly and works exactly where it is placed. It won the Oscar for best live action short. It runs under twenty minutes. Who it is for: viewers who like the short form and drama that works with very few words. Who it is not for: anyone who would rather not approach the subject of suicide.