Pity River
From the Archives
•
12-Sep-2018
A man, a river, and a raccoon face off in this silent film by Parker Davis. Notable for its simplicity and earnestness, “Pity River,” finds a young man on a menial chore to remove a dead raccoon from near a river. The task is complicated when he accidentally drops the animal into the water, and is forced to chase it downstream. By withholding context — who is this man? what is he doing with the raccoon? — it stays open for interpretation. Are we simply witness to a man tracking a raccoon down a river, or could this also be viewed as a symbolic existential pursuit? Either way, it’s refreshingly lacking in cynicism or postmodern “coolness,” and arrives at a satisfying catharsis.
Written and Directed by Parker Davis. Music by Keen Collective. Cinematography by Hailey Schoenfeldt.
Up Next in From the Archives
-
White and Lazy
Set in 1991, this comedic portrait of a mumbling and indecisive young man trying to collect rent from his eccentric roommates taps into the grand lineage of poor college kids living as weirdo artists in houses with way too many people. It’s tried and true and "White and Lazy" captures it with per...
-
Love is Stinks
A web series about love and well, love! This riotous parody of dating and relationships finds two young Brooklynites in a familiar rise and fall: the roller coaster of love. From director Tynan DeLong (currently on a mad streak, involved in some of the funniest shorts of 2018, see: "Cornolios", "...
-
Subject of Desire
A twenty-something seasonal worker on Fire Island navigates the tempestuous waters of pleasure and connection. “Subject of Desire,” directed by Benett Holgerson, is a documentary character study oozing with confidence with a naturally vivid aesthetic and bold subject. Flexing vocal-range and smal...
