Mater, Mannequin and Ouroboros
by David Teixeira
Written Review
Hi everyone and welcome to MyIndie Review Vlog, the show that gives you spoiler-free reviews of indie films. My name is Asaf Angel from MyIndie Productions.
Today I’ll be reviewing three short horror films directed by MyIndie featured artist, talented Portuguese indie filmmaker David Teixeira. All three films star David’s collaborator, talented actress Lea N’Kaoua!
Thank you David and Lea, for sharing your films with us!
Let’s get to it, first up is 2018’s Ouroboros.
A young woman, played by Lea, wakes up one morning in
her modest apartment, endearingly bothered by her cat. She goes through her morning routine and gets ready to head out for the day. She discovers a note folded on a thorned flower, left for her by an apparent lover, which leads her to meet at a location familiar to her. Upon arriving at the destination, she enters an abandoned, ruin-type, building, seeking her lover.
Once inside, she explores the premises, as it feels odd to her that this is the location intended for her meeting. Unfortunately, while she looks for answers, something horrifyingly sinister is looking for her.
Originating as a symbol in ancient Egyptian iconography, Ouroboros from Greek, means a snake devouring its tail. The theme of Ouroboros in the film is introduced cryptically enough to get us thinking about its possible meaning and how it relates to the Lea’s character. To give that kind of perspective in a 10-minute short is impressive all on its own.
The film was written and directed by David, and serves as a good example which showcases an eager filmmaker’s work, as he explores his storytelling drive, much like Lea’s character explores the ruins. I did have some issues with the film’s pace as I felt it could have probably built tension more efficiently by selecting somewhat different shot compositions and transitions at certain times, but as it is apparent that David and Lea, who came up with the story together, made the film with very little means and probably a fair share of constraints and did a wonderful job.
Ouroboros, gets a 7/10 on the Look At Me, I’m A Film Critic scale!
Next up is 2019’s Mannequin!
A young woman in flashy attire, Barbara, enters what
seems to be her hotel room, wearing makeup and sporting various styling accessories such as a blonde wig, artificial eye-lashes, etc. We see her talking to her sister, Julia, on the phone, planning to visit the following day to also spend time with her niece, Julia’s daughter. Julia has prepared a present for Barbara to give to her young niece as Barbara did not have the time to shop for one. A package was waiting for Barbara at the hotel, containing a vintage barbie doll.
Barbara takes off her clothing and makeup. She then draws a bath to unwind before going to sleep.
When morning comes, the film experiences a sudden shift in tone, one that can only be appreciated when watching the film.
David infused social commentary into Mannequin, conveying an alarming and much talked about concern regarding the perception of beauty, especially with the young and impressionable.
Under the guise of a supernatural horror short, in under 10 minutes of run-time, David manages to express, in my mind, a form of precisely executed judgment on what is considered to be a sought-after standard of beauty, and even with the film’s climax, he injects additional subtext, with a fantastic acting display from Lea!
What clearly stands out when weighing Mannequin as apposed to Ouroboros, is David’s improvement as a filmmaker. From a more consistent story structure and eye-catching 80’s themes, constructed by the film’s colours, credit titles and soundtrack, in addition to Lea’s fine performance, it is apparent that David has further increased his skill as both director and storyteller. Again, this film credits the story to both David and Lea, further demonstrating that this team is definitely one to follow.
Mannequin, gets a 7.5/10 on the Look At Me, I’m A Film Critic scale
Lastly, 2019’s Mater, which is Latin for Mother.
A young woman, nurses her ill mother. They both live in
a wooden house in a forest, set in what seems to be the late 19th century, as the wardrobe and set design fit the time period. The woman appears to be avidly religious and carries a crucifix on her person.
As her mother’s condition deteriorates, the woman goes into the forest, where she accepts medicine from a mysterious stranger. In spite of her pure intentions, her actions bring forth something sinister, that rattles her to her very core.
The film is David’s latest project, one which he co-created with Lea, as they both wrote the screenplay, as well as handled set design, costumes and other elements of production.
David and Lea, managed to create a notion of evil in a way that is both intriguing and efficient. The film pays close attention to the atmosphere of the secluded location, as well as the time period, thus succeeding in building an ominous undertone that makes us feel unease. David demonstrates wonderful cinematography and sound design, which do a wonderful job in delivering the horror.
The costumes and props were all carefully used to completely immerse us in that time period. Succeeding in that in a low means indie film with a less than 15 minute runtime, is an achievement all on its own.
David also shows massive improvement as a storyteller in some very interesting compositions where he incorporates other characters in the same space as Lea’s character, but he chooses to focus on her and uses creative ways to make us acknowledge the presence of others in these scenes without necessarily showing them. This helps us experience the horror element with it, at times, being out of frame, thus creating further anticipation and suspense.
As previously mentioned, I was very impressed by the collaboration between the two artists, David and Lea. Having seen David’s previous short films, his upward trajectory as a filmmaker since joining forces with Lea is quite evident. Lea’s acting also seems to be improving with each film and I, for one, am anxiously looking forward to seeing what they come up with next.
Mater (or Mother), gets an 8/10 on the Look At Me, I’m A Film Critic scale!
Ouroboros and Mannequin is available for free viewing online.
Links to both included.
Mater is not yet released and has very recently started being submitted to film festivals, so stay tuned for further updates.
Until next time, keep supporting indie film. Watch, share, spread the word, my name is Asaf Angel, I thank you for tuning in to MyIndie Review Vlog. I’ll see you next Thursday!
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