Little Brother
On the Wall
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Documentary, Short Films, 05-Jun-2018
On the edge of adolescence, a little brother visits his sister in the big city for the first time. This documentary snapshot directed by Dominique van Olm (who also stars) is a beautifully intimate account of their weekend in Toronto. The low-key course of events makes an effective case for the power of small moments taking on universal profundity. We tag along as the siblings go out for pizza, then on to a museum, then an aquarium. Both subjects exude a wonderfully natural screen presence and the film lets us into private moments that seem unaffected by the presence of a camera. Their difference in age and location has no doubt hampered their closeness, and Dominque hopes to make up for lost time. The trip takes on a subtly urgent quality as she aims to solidify their bond and be a positive force in his life (making him wash his own dishes, discouraging him from complaining, among others). Captured with strong visuals and edited with a seamless rhythm (edited by van Olm as well), “Little Brother” goes by in a flash and before it’s over, we already miss it. Some poignant final moments in a bowling alley round out the emotional core. Documentary filmmaking doesn’t get much more personal than this. -KA. Directed, edited by Dominique van Olm. Produced by Darren Snowden. Cinematography by Julia Hendrickson. Starring Dexter Thiessen, Dominique van Olm and Joseph Amenta.
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