CHANGELING **** UK 2019 Dir: Faye Jackson. 9 mins
Lara Belmont is terrific in this dialogue-free one-character short horror piece from writer-director-editor Faye Jackson. Belmont’s work is an authentic portrayal of a young mother falling apart while her baby cries incessantly. She begins to think that there might be something genuinely wrong with what is supposed to be her bundle of joy. Is that a rat in the living room? Is the poo in the nappy actually alive? Jackson captures that very specific stage of early parenthood when you’re way past tired, a teeny bit paranoid, your mind starts playing tricks and a mental list unravels of everything that might be a potential threat to your child. Ending in a splendidly creepy place that the script doesn’t telegraph, it’s a disorientating, chilling ride with striking surrealistic imagery and excellent physical FX. Belmont never says a word but has us empathising with her plight from the get-go.
Review by Steven West