The Wilding (2012)

The Wilding (2012)

Director: Grant Scicluna 
Writer: Grant Scicluna (screenplay) 
Genre: Short movie 
Country: Australia 
Language: English 
Duration: 15 min
Year: 2012


Stars: Reef Ireland, Luke Mullins, Frank Sweet, Shannon Glowacki, Richard Anastasios

Priča iz zatvora za maloljetne osobe u kome je Malkom suočen da bira između uvjetnog otpusta ili da zaštiti druga u kojeg je zaljubljen. Kako se bliži vrijeme otpusta svađe u zatvoru eskaliraju sve češće, a vrhunac svega je kada grupa zavidnih nasilnika počne da maltretira Tya, sa kojim je Malkom u ljubavnoj vezi. Da li nijemo posmatrati kako ti maltretiraju nekoga koga voliš ili ga zaštiti po cijeni onoga što svaki zatvorenik naviše priželjkuje - slobodu?!

Odlično napravljena kratka priča u kojoj je izbjegnut svaki stereotip o feminiziranim uplašenim pederima, nesposobnim da opstanu i brane se u mačističkom društvu.

A story of sacrifice for love, The Wilding follows Malcolm, a hardened borstal inmate, who’s in love with his cellmate Tye. As Malcolm faces an opportunity for parole, a feud with other inmates escalates, with Tye being targeted as Malcolm’s weak spot. Malcolm is forced to choose between his own freedom and protecting the one he loves.
Most short films are mini-movies in themselves. They often suffer having been crammed into such a short space. It is very difficult for filmmakers to convey enough in 15 minutes: something usually falls short, be it narrative or character development.
The Wilding, on the other hand, is a brief glimpse into a story which has been running before you arrived, and will continue long after you have left. It is a window into somebody’s very existence: the narrative is his life, and these are just a few events that occur within. A fleeting glimpse, like crossing a river, you experience just a small part of the waterway, but are acutely aware of its full might.
This is raw Australian filmmaking at its best. Combining the visceral brutality of Romper Stomper and the gritty terror of Chopper, The Wilding holds its own against films of this caliber, while still shocking those numb to their effects.
The fly-on-the-wall camera style, while very rarely distracting, serves to heighten the realism and tension as you become part of the story. In an instant you are there. It is no longer a film, they are no longer actors. You are in the borstal, present at each event, every fight, every suspense. It is electric and it is terrifying.
It is refreshing to see a gruff fighter as a confident gay man. There are no camp stereotypes here, no mincing and no effeminate voices. Malcolm is a brute, a ruffian. His moments of tenderness are subtly detectable under a coarse exterior. The acting is mesmerising.
Even the corrupt and manipulative warden has enough of the cliches to satisfy the audience’s need for familiarity, but Scicluna still turns the stereotype on its head. While his methods and means are questionable, his motives are clear: the warden has Malcolm’s best interests at heart.
With enough breathing space in each scene for you to imagine what is going through the minds of the characters during each event, the action is still a hostile assault on the senses. Your skin will ripple with goosebumps as Malcolm’s determinedly satisfied stare cuts through the warden, time slowing to a grinding halt leaving the question: ‘Why?’
Love. That’s why.
Overall Opinion: Given the brevity of the film, its ability to invoke shivers and spark adrenaline surges is incredible. Your eyes will be wide, pupils dilated, too transfixed to look away; too involved to even blink. The unsteady camera serves to heighten the realism, fueling the rush as you are transported there, and put into danger. The tribal portrayals are brutal, the romance as delicate as it can be in such a setting. How can a love story be so horrifyingly chilling and heart-warming at the same time? This is a gripping masterpiece.
Writer: Adrian Naik

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