Next Floor Short Film

Why Watch? This one pairs well with never eating again. A stunner from Incendies and Prisoners director Denis Villeneuve, it’s a sumptuous must-see not only for its absurdist concept from Phoebe Greenberg, but also for its top flight execution of the bizarre.

In the short, a stately dinner party is taking place where a cacophony of animals is being laid before a ravenous chorus of well-dressed mayhem. A string quartet sings in the background, waiters flutter about with speed to replace disappearing food and every diner has a fine layer of dust on their clothes. Then, something startling happens.

With table top views, Villeneuve slurps out every ounce of gastronomical disgust like marrow from the bone. Shanks, arms, legs, offal and full bodies are laid out for the patrons who snatch and grab like possessed castaways who’ve finally made it back to shore. A political message is there if you want it, but even without any metaphors stuffed into stomach lining, it’s a gorgeously gross, dark comic wonder.

It’s been touring film festivals for years, so I’m thrilled to finally see it online.

What Will It Cost? About 11 minutes

SXSW 2014
Game of Thrones reviews
Got a Tip? Send it here:
Neil Miller
Managing Editor:
Scott Beggs
Associate Editors:
Rob Hunter
Kate Erbland
Christopher Campbell