In the haze of a Malibu sunset, a sisterhood moves iaround its self-anointed messiah – the notorious murderer Charles Manson. Directed by James Camali, from a script by Hannah Howzdy, ‘And the Heavens Must Have Cried’ is a haunting slow-burn of devotion and delusion, a short that understands the true horror of cult psychology.
Hannah Howzdy not only delivers a mesmerizing performance as Susan Atkins – one of Charles Manson’s most infamous followers – but she also pens the script and composes the score. Her voice – both literally and metaphorically – guides us through this sun-drenched descent into darkness.
Nathan Wallace’s Manson is a god on the beach, a self-styled Jesus frolicking with his flock, his narcissism a quiet poison dripping into the hearts of his admirers. His control is absolute, though never overt, his presence alone dictating the emotional tides of his women.
Joseph Wesley’s cinematography is exemplary. His lens captures the beauty of it all, but beauty is deceptive. The air is thick with slow-moving tension, the serenity laced with something darker. The true horror here is in our protagonist’s longing – Susan’s longing for Manson’s undivided love, her slow realization that she is merely one of many.
Howzdy’s haunting music plays throughout, an omnipresent undercurrent of yearning and unease. And as the film progresses, as her world becomes more entangled in his, we see the unraveling – the shift from starry-eyed devotee to something far more fractured.
Chilling in hindsight yet never exploitative, ‘And the Heavens Must Have Cried’ touches on psychological dread. The murders may not have happened quite yet, but you can feel them coming, lurking beneath the glow. A stunning yet unsettling watch.
