In The Confession the conventional themes of death and tragedy are presented and altered into an innovative piece of brilliancy, as an innocent schoolboy accidentally commits an act so appalling, viewers are left leaving their theaters filled with a chilling feeling, difficult to shake.
Director Tanel Toom’s live action short film truly reaches the expectations of what a noteworthy Oscar nominated film should possess.
The film begins with the routine of an average day for nine-year-old Sam, filled with school, games, and constant reminders of Christ. As the movie progresses, we learn Sam’s most arduous dilemma is finding a sin to fill his clear conscious. This problem turns into one of entertainment for Sam and his friend as their innocent trick on a tractor driver to cure Sam from his dilemma turns tragic, leaving Sam with guilt so severe that he continues to perform acts of dismay.
Toom executes the film inventively with a shattering climax and conclusion, transforming the once whimsical film into one of both horror and tragedy.
A question I kept asking myself throughout the film was, “where was God?”
Is it fair that a boy, whose biggest sin was locking his sister in a closet, has to now deal with the guilt of causing the death of others? It seems God was removed from Sam’s life once he removed the scarecrow from his position on the cross, which explains why the “tractor driver” drives from the scene moments before tragedy strikes.
“You have to tell the truth, God knows all,” says Sam’s priest. Yeah, well, so does the tractor driver.
The tractor driver is always seen from a distance and is present in Sam’s daily routine. However, is never actually seen by viewers, just as there is no actual figure of God, portraying him to be God. This abandonment of God is a feeling universal to many Christians, feeling a sense of loss in their faith in their most traumatic and heart wrenching hour.
Toom has experience representing religious themes in his work. In his 2008 short film The Second Coming, the portrayal of a man’s struggle with his brother’s death is so immense he refuses to bury his body in hopes of his Christ-like resurrection. This theme is one Toom has excellently used in both films.
The theme and tone of The Confession are similar to last year’s Academy Award live action short film winner.
In Joachim Back’s The New Tenants, the genres of drama, tragedy, and death are also depicted. In the film, two tenants move into an apartment building practically moments before finding out their apartment was the center of a crime scene not long ago. As the former tenant’s past comes back to haunt these two men, they are forced to witness the unpredictable death of a neighbor and her family.
According to viewer Amanda Santoro “After watching the short films, I was not exactly sure what to look for that would make one of them prestigious enough to win the award. After watching last year’s winner, I realized The Confession has all the elements to win, and more.”
I did not like The New Tenants. All the movies that were nominated this year were better in my opinion. It had great actors but all the death scenes were more random than a bad horror movie.