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Hydrangea

Hydrangea is an artistic short film signed by Koraphat Cheeradit, a student filmmaker from Thailand who has shot and produced a pure auteur film in its most essential form. Besides being the writer and director, Cheeradit is responsible for cinematography, editing, casting, and colouring and editing. Practically Hydrangea is the definition of auteur, a term that originates from the history of cinema, specifically Andre Bazin’s first recorded works on this subject.

Undoubtedly, the first thing to notice about the film is the stunning cinematography. Shot in black & white, Hydrangea has an abundance of perfectly composed shots, each telling its own story. The picture is unique. The characters are juxtaposed against a non-descript correspondent when they engage in a conversation during the first act. If they don't have lines in a particular scene, then we see medium shots and masters of the setting/geography, keeping in mind that the subject of attention is dominant yet entirely unobtrusive.

The author uses all kinds of narrative tools and film language. We acknowledge the symbol that is conveyed by the meta. Therefore, the young woman's drawings have a substantial role in reality, given that the two friends exist in cohesion with nature. Nature has a massive effect on the picture and sound. Cheeradit constantly plays with juxtaposition and contrasts – industrialization versus nature, absent male figures versus present females, the issue with electricity versus the black & white tones that won’t draw a line for the audience, etc. These stylizations separate this short film from the rest.

Moreover, Hydrangea breathes poetry. It's impressive how every element is unified for the sole purpose of crafting an artwork that communicates in subtext. Oftentimes, the audience needs to put substantial effort into following the conversations between the two girls and how they reflect in the dialogue-less scenes. The filmmaker allows us to contemplate each thought and feeling, as the narration likes to build up the rising of action slowly.

On the other side is the sound design, which is essentially married to the picture. A good filmmaker knows that without proper sound, the picture is worthless. In Hydrangea, the dictions are an integral part of the soundtrack. Whispers, lower-key tones, foley sounds and the background noise/diegetic produce such vivid composition that leaves us in awe. The sound proves that Koraphat Cheeradit is a master storyteller who has control of every process in filmmaking.

In conclusion, the least to say is that the film industry should pay attention to this talented young filmmaker. Hydrangea has a visible artistic value, and more importantly – it showcases distinctive talent and a genuine narrative voice.

Additionally, thirty-five minutes are consumed in one breath, and even if the audience might be sceptical over the running time, it takes the opening shots to realize that they are in safe hands.