‘Memo’ is an evocative exploration of the aftermath of love, captured through the raw and vulnerable lens of a couple’s breakup. Written and directed by Thor Brenne, this short experimental drama elegantly peels back the layers of a fractured relationship, giving us a front-row seat to the emotional wreckage of a romance gone awry.
Silvia Presente and Louis Richards’ voice performances anchor the film, their deliveries soaked in regret and longing. Through a series of voice memos, we are invited into their private musings, revealing the slow unraveling of their bond – words spoken too late, confessions that hang heavy, and silences that scream of disconnection. The structure of the film, divided into the parts –Â Pretend, Receive, and Reach, mirrors the stages of their conversations, reflecting the heartbreaking evolution of their parting.
But what makes ‘Memo’ different is its visual poetry. Even Eileraas and Trine Lise Moe bring the relationship’s tension to life through an avant-garde dance on a Norwegian beach, their movements abstract yet deeply resonant. The choreography, with its jarring disjunctions and moments of unexpected synchronicity, is a physical manifestation of the couple’s emotional landscape – a dance of distance and closeness, of missed steps and fleeting connections.
Mario Poljac’s cinematography captures the haunting beauty of coastal Norway, making it a silent witness to the couple’s turbulent history. The film is a melancholic meditation on love lost, but it’s also a tribute to the bittersweet beauty found in the fragments of what once was. ‘Memo’ is a beautifully crafted piece of art, poignant and deeply moving – a mature, refreshing take on post-relationship conversations.
