Magic? Review by Lew Antonie
Ayanda Dube has given us an age-old parable and battle cry but did it in a new outfit.
Her short film, Magic?, related the oft-told tale of a young person setting out on their own but greeted with the immediate obstacle of a possessive and controlling parent.
Written, directed, and starring Dube, we meet a young woman of African descent awaiting “the call” from a perspective employer. Modern touches like a dream board adorn the setting before the film got surreal. A phone rings and the image of the young woman’s mother appears. A powerful scene between the two strong women occurs before the phone rings again. Or did it? Did the ring of the phone trigger memories that occur in the time between rings? Was it a daydream? A ghost? Or maybe mother was actually there. No matter.
Ayanda Dube – playing both the courageous young woman and her controlling mother – offers another touch symbolizing another perennial thought of how we tend to embody the control or even abuse we receive at the “loving” hand of a parent. Clever use of lighting and make-up fools us into thinking its two actresses and Dube’s dynamic portrayal fools us even further.
The film – of her own writing and direction as well as appearance (edited by Magdalene Morton; plus assistance by Christopher Cass and Anne Moore) would be a welcome entry in a film festival, indie channel, or even an educational program and Ayanda Dube stands to become a powerful figure in the world of independent cinema with new takes on necessary themes.
Follow her on IMDB.
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