I was there. Right on the bandwagon, when MySpace and Facebook made its mark on the internet. When I graduated from high school, I spoke to practically no one for decades. Thanks to Facebook, I’ve been able to reconnect with a few old classmates. On the flipside, I’ve also lost several friends and felt the sting of being unfriended. From Denmark, Andrias Hogenni brings this global unfriending sting to a head in his short film, No Ill Will.
Elinborg (Mariann Hansen) and the blue-haired Marta (Sissal Drews Hjaltalin) reunite on a train platform. After a little chit-chat, Marta reminds Elinborg that her birthday party is on Friday. Elinborg is surprised and says she didn’t know there was a party on Friday. Miscommunication aside Elinborg says she’ll gladly be there.
“…Elinborg and six others blocked her on Facebook. Elinborg implores Marta not to take it seriously..”
Later that day, Marta comes across Elinborg at the grocery store. Marta reluctantly confronts Elinborg with the fact that when Marta made the Facebook Event, Elinborg’s profile disappeared. The truth is Elinborg and six others blocked her on Facebook. Elinborg implores Marta not to take it seriously. They’re still friends, but many have grown tired of Marta’s relentless political rants online. Let’s just say that Marta does not take it well.
For anyone who’s been active on social media knows, we’ve all been there. As much good as Facebook has become, it’s the devil. In November 2016, the platform just became intolerable. Hogeni’s No Ill Will take us down a very dark path.
As a short, No Ill Will is a solid film. It creates a relatable situation and points out one of the darker outcomes because we’d rather hash out problems with friends and family online, rather than talking to them face-to-face. This fable is wonderfully acted by leads Mariann Hansen and Sissal Drews Hjaltalin showing us a side of disappointment and despair that feels all too familiar with a conclusion that may hit a little close to home.
No Ill Will (2019) Written and directed by Andrias Høgenni. Starring Mariann Hansen, Sissal Drews Hjaltalin. No Ill Will screened at the 2019 Palm Springs ShortFest.
8 out of 10 stars
