Wish, I Love You

Wish 143 is a compelling short film that emotionally explores the depth and psyche of a young and terminally ill cancer patient by the wish he desires fulfilled before his dying day–losing his virginity.

An Oscar nominated live action short from the UK, Wish 143 is a dramatic romantic comedy that chronicles the brevity of life and desire for love in just about 23 minutes. It may not show romance in the conventional sense but the film certainly romanticizes love in its essence, and does so with a simple dose of humor.

When the Dreamscape wish maker visits David, he expects the youth to want a trip to Disney World or meet former Manchester United footballer Gary Neville. But he is completely taken aback when David honestly only wants to have sex with a naked woman, and dreams of having it in a car no less. It may seem like the adolescent’s raging hormones are to blame but Wish 143 proves it’s much more than that.

David’s inner feelings about his wish are increasingly revealed and resonant on screen. I realized that he isn’t just seeking the sensation of sex, but that of love, that someone would want to share it with him and touch him physically and emotionally. His mentor, Father Jim Carter, makes him see this. Even though the good priest initially tries to explain to David that sex is a sacred act, he also tries to understand him and eventually help him get what he wants–what he really wants, a real connection with another person that sees past his illness.

I found this dynamic between Father Carter and David so refreshingly amusing. From the priest’s youthful trainers to his easy attitude, he just tries to genuinely connect with the youth and he is completely nonjudgmental in the process. He’s a real friend to him.

So there is definitely a balance between romance and humor in Wish 143, the title itself hints at it. 143= I (1) Love (4) You (3). From David’s innocent desire to be engaged in an act of passion (maybe with his high school girlfriend,) to truly just wanting to be embraced by a woman, to when he compares his tumor to various fruits, to when he pranks the bus driver in one scene, the film is both heartbreakingly touching and comically moving.

Director Ian Barnes and writer Tom Bidwell really strum at heartstrings with the simple shots and subtle but affective storyline. Their piece may not stand a chance next to the visually stunning and intensely dramatic The Confession or romantic thriller of sorts The Crush, but Wish 143 says a great deal about life and love in less than sweeping imagery on a what seems an amateur camera and editing software, its only flaw. The visual quality is grainy and appears almost like a home video, lacking that high definition image, which can distract viewers’ attention.

Therefore, as a collective work, it’s clearly the underdog nominee, quite like Dogtooth in the Foreign Language category. Both are films that viewers undoubtedly appreciate on a profound level but many doubt will earn the award.

But David Ospino disagrees. “I think Wish 143 is gonna win because it deals with cancer. That’s how the Oscar’s work.” Ospino thinks it has a fighting chance because, “It deals with a timely issue in a way that people relate to or empathize with. He’s young and he’s a virgin, and he really just wants affection.”