June (Olivia Cordell) and Sunny (Jonathan Tanigaki) are a famous dancing couple at the outset of WWII in writer-director Benjamin To’s short film Infinity. The married duo has successfully passed themselves off as Chinese-American until now. Somehow, word of them being Japanese has gotten out, and now they must run or be put into detention camps.
Most of the short is a flashback of June and Sunny’s relationship over the years. As they are dancers, this is conveyed via an extended dance sequence. June dances with Sunny; she is in a wedding dress, and he is in a tuxedo. In the next moment, they are in a sundress and suit, performing the same dance moves. A cornfield becomes an apartment just as quickly. Is June and Sunny’s love enough to overcome the fraught future they are looking at?
The story of Infinity! is concise and direct. The main characters are talented and in love, but society at large is determined to keep them apart. The film’s simplicity and sweetness are not just elements but the very essence of its charm. Cordell and Tanigaki share a delightful chemistry that immediately captivates the audience with their romance.
“Is June and Sunny’s love enough to overcome the fraught future they are looking at?”
Admittedly, the actors recite the few lines they have unevenly. However, Cordell and Tanigaki are amazing dancers and let their impressive choreography do a lot of the heavy lifting. Their expressive faces wonderfully sell love, anguish, exhilaration, and fear.
Caroline Ho’s music drives many of the emotional cues. It’s rousing, dangerous, and sweeping, creating an epic scale for everything happening on screen. The numerous highly detailed costumes place the audience into each new scene. The sets are intentionally stagey, as if part of the duo’s popular routines. These elements support each other and give the production a polish much higher than expected.
Infinity! is a lovingly crafted film that conveys an exciting, romantic, and poignant story. The dancing is the main attraction, and it’s flawless. The costumes and set design are of top-notch quality, and the editing is seamless. The film’s overall polish exceeds expectations and leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
Infinity! screened at the 2024 Seattle Film Festival.
"…a lovingly crafted film..."
