A nefarious interrogation tentatively negates necessary neutrality negotiations in a nettlesome national militant undertaking of negligence on civilization families that’s gone nuclear.

Set in the future, but not too far away from nowadays, civilians are persecuted by a dictatorship while WWIII breaks out. A Colonel goes to a remote residence in a nuclear winter to seek missing rebels, interrogating an old man and his daughter.

Directed by Tiago Pimentel, it’s a short film from Portugal presented in Portuguese with English subtitles. I immediately noticed the high production value. It looks and feels like the opening scene for a big-budget Hollywood movie. I’d be highly interested in following up on the intriguing premise. The tone is exceedingly atmospheric. I clung to each line of dialogue because of how an interrogation is shot and edited. The use of close-ups in a small space adds a claustrophobic atmosphere too.

Written by António Miguel Pereira and Tiago Pimentel, they’re particularly good at writing engrossing dialogue. All the tension is derived from the interrogation. The setting is the fallout of nuclear war, however, that’s not the focus of the discussion. Someone stole something important to the government and they want it back. It’s not clear what that thing is until the conclusion so I won’t say what it is or why it’s significant. That would spoil the fun. I will say the pulse-pounding conversation leading up to the finale is a heavy-hitting one indeed.

The cast includes Sérgio Godinho, Mariana Pacheco, and Paulo Calatré. They all bring unique gravity to the role they play. This grounds them in the world of chaos they inhabit. The performances add emotional weight creating more density to the circumstances.

Overall, this short film displays an immediate primal sensory experience of the emotional undertones of what the characters are going through. The director, writers, and cast understood the assignment competently putting together an amazingly, emotionally compelling story of the horrors of war. It’s a topical situation and ever-growing fear nowadays. These discussions are imperative for personal and societal growth. It takes skill to achieve emotional resonance like that through your art. And remember, while the idea of war isn’t new, it’s clear the fear is shared.