In “The Loss,” Turkish filmmaker Mete Sozer has crafted a wonderful short film that questions whether time actually heals all wounds. Set in a small café, the film is shot from the point of view of a man who has been violently rejected by his girlfriend. She tells him off with foul language and throws a drink in his face before storming out.
Each subsequent scene finds the woman returning to the café at different points in the advancing years, always to find the man is still present at the same table. The woman’s attitude and appearance change dramatically over time – the feisty and sexy young dynamo of the dramatic break-up becomes a more sedate middle-aged woman, then an older woman suffering from the after-effects of an auto accident, before finishing her journey as a worn, tired old lady.
Throughout the years, the woman is amazed that her ex-lover remains at the same table, seemingly waiting just for her. The ending (which will not be revealed) provides a heartbreaking consideration of the toxic residue left by persistent memory.
Sozer’s vision for “The Loss” is fueled with a vibrant central performance by Özge Özpirinççi as the evolving woman. The melancholic cinematography by Ahmet Kasapoglu perfectly captures the spirit of the story, and the clever denouement will certainly leave viewers eager to debate what took place.
