Written and directed by Patrick Schimenti, ‘Must I Suffer More?’ is a short horror film that unravels the mental anguish of an aspiring artist. Starring Ben Seltzer as Pierre, the central character, the narrative explores his distressing creative block during an artistic pursuit – which leads to a spiraling miscalculation. Exploring themes of mental health, drugs and identity, the short is produced without any character dialogue and largely carries the tone of trepidation. An unsettling watch from start-to-finish.
The 7-minute horror/thriller opens with Pierre pondering over his intended creative objective. A blank artistic canvas metaphorically mirrors his own internal void. As he struggles with inspiration and self-destruction, Pierre turns to psychoactive substances in an attempt to waken his dormant imagination. Without spoiling the narrative climax, the film acts as a sobering reminder that by taking shortcuts, you will eventually be cut short. Expect a gory show-down.
In spite of the film’s low-budget production style, with wobbly cinematography in places, Patrick Schimenti has crafted a riveting horror that doesn’t conceal its experimental methodology. Ben Seltzer delivers an alluring performance that is certain to keep viewers on tenterhooks throughout – all-the-while feeling empathy and concern.
The technicality is distinctly shy of cinematic, but that shouldn’t deter or disengage the audience. With dialogue omitted, the musical soundtrack acts as the palpable heart-beat of the story – which is nicely orchestrated throughout. The symbolic use of an hourglass is a nice touch that helps to illustrate the protagonist’s despondency and the urgency of his crisis. A respectable short that deserves attention.
