Written and directed by Julia Obst, ‘Aquaria’ is an experimental fantasy short that follows a woman’s struggle with her identity – she is blend of human and fish. The film is entirely without dialogue and constructed by various metaphorical shots. Julia Obst (Writer/Director) stars as the titled character with a brief appearance by Keana Korn (Lady of the Fountain). ‘Aquaria’ is a stunning poetic work of art, albeit experimental in narrative.
The 4-minute film opens with a melancholic Aquaria, her weep emotions mirror her surroundings – a water fountain and a stone sculpture of a fish. Julia Obst’s portrayal is highly captivating and deeply moving – her emotional pain is easily felt by the audience. A particularly poignant scene is when Aquaria removes her white gloves to touch a deceased fish – a strong catalyst to accepting and embracing her identity. The film ends with goldfish swimming persistently in circles – symbolic to the never-ending fight to discover oneself.
Julia Obst and her cast/crew have delivered an insightful film that has an important message. Cinematography by Adele Perrin is especially praiseworthy as is the ambient mystical music throughout – both aid the narrative flawlessly. We recommend watching ‘Aquaria’ more than once as it is layered with clever metaphors. A beautiful made experimental short.
