Written & Directed by Iria Santos, ‘Lockdown’ follows two women as they go about their isolated lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Starring Agata Pisiewicz (Sad Woman) and Xaris Miller (Happy Woman), the 10-minute experimental short showcases two different emotional perspectives on how lockdown has affected them.

Despite a promising plotline, ‘Lockdown’ lacks a thrilling narrative. The film frustratingly settles for documenting mundane situations (shopping, cooking, exercising) rather than an actual story. Scenes showcasing the Sad Women appear tedious and uneventful as apposed to jollier moments with Happy Woman. Santos goal is to portray two opposing situations in lockdown, with the occasional split screen aiding the viewers understanding. Unfortunately, the lack of characterisation fails to keep viewers engaged.

The cinematography in ‘Lockdown’ and mediocre sound quality equally fails viewer engagement. This low-budget attempt at fly-on-the-wall filmmaking, combined with dull narrative action, seals the fate of this experimental drama film. Actor’s Agata Pisiewicz and Xaris Miller could have been utilised more efficiently with dialogue and/or character interaction. Their performances are promising, but the script/narrative is uninspiring and disconnected.

COVID-19 has inspired several intriguing lockdown shorts that are captivating and imaginative, but the subject matter of isolation can be a real challenge to pull off successfully. Short Films Matter recommends ‘Lockdown’ for the experimental concept.