We walk a fine line between insanity and reality in Anmol Mishra’s arthouse feature, Death. Sabrina (Marigold Pazar) is a woman on the edge of despair, lying in her bathtub bleeding as fragmented memories of her life rush through her mind. Scenes from her past replay as a confusing haze: a fight with her lover, Romeo (David Hecimovic), ends with him impaled in the head by a butcher knife. Sabrina is wrapping small gifts in another memory, but her paranoia grows as she hides from an ominous figure outside her home. Hauntingly, Romeo returns, but his presence is confusing, leaving Sabrina questioning his intentions—until he proposes to her. The memories become increasingly surreal, blending fantasy with reality. Sabrina recalls making love to Romeo only to realize she was sleeping with a demonic figure.
In a moment of clarity, Sabrina recalls a dinner party with her childhood friend, Wendy (Lauren Johnson). Accompanying Wendy is her boyfriend, Mazza (Oliver James Damian), who seems to be under the constant influence of psychedelics. Wendy still has feelings for Sabrina from when they were occasionally lovers in their youth. She is intent on winning back Sabrina at all costs.
As tensions between the group rise, Sabrina and Romeo’s relationship fractures further, with jealousy and secrets pushing her deeper into a psychological breakdown. Caught between reality and fantasy, Sabrina’s memories spiral, uncovering a disturbing puzzle of love, betrayal, and madness comprised of distorted moments from her past.
“…a disturbing puzzle of love, betrayal, and madness comprised of distorted moments from her past.”
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, which is true in making movies…especially in indie filmmaking. Hailing from Australia, Anmol Mishra’s Death found its inspiration in David Lynch, but with almost no budget. In the end, Death is a mixed bag—intriguing yet flawed.
Diving into Death means you must wrap your brain around the story a few times. It runs in a circular pattern as the mystery behind Sabrina’s state of mind is revealed. As Sabrina struggles over the horrific events that led to her being in a bathtub bleeding, elements of reality are replaced by horrific images from a nightmare.
I love filmmaking and artists who are determined to capture their vision on film, regardless of financial constraints. Despite the limited budget, director Mishra pays excellent attention to detail, carefully constructing each frame like a Lynchian tale. The film’s setting is improvised using whatever is available, such as one scene lit with a blue light shining through a fish tank filled with blue dye. Additionally, during a love scene with Sabrina, her bedroom is filled with symbols of death.
Again, it is intriguing yet flawed. If you’re not into arthouse films, Death may be challenging. It’s all a matter of taste, especially if you’re looking for a standard narrative. Also, David Hecimovic and Oliver James Damian’s accents are sometimes difficult to understand. Clarity is essential when trying to communicate with your audience. The film is anchored well by lead actress Marigold Pazar, giving us an emotional and odd performance for an odd film.
For screening information, visit the Death official website.
"…an emotional and odd performance for an odd film."
