FILM OF THE MONTH

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Directed by Thorkell August Ottarsson / Reviewed by Biplab Das Governments across the world install security cameras to reduce crime. Following the governments’ path, people are also installing security cameras or CCTVs cameras in their homes. Security Camera is such a film that records what happens in someone’s apartment. It is an avant-garde thriller. The visual approach is refreshingly fresh but the content of the film is quite dark and disturbing. From its very beginning, the film will let you anticipate. It’s maybe because of the visual representation of the film. Those who are accustomed to watching a film on a single frame might consider this film a hard to grasp. The film is depicted with six different CCTV cameras, fitted in one single screen. The audience has to navigate through all six screens simultaneously to find out what is going on. I believe in the future, many more movies will be made using security cameras to present a film to the audience. It is also quite understandable that this type of filmmaking (using CCTV as a camera) is going to come to the forefront. With CCTV footage, it is people’s tendency to feel something thrilling and scandalous. It’s not the story of this film; it’s the medium and approach that separates this film from any other movie. Directed by Thorkell August Ottarson, this film has 3 adults and two youngsters (one out of them is a child).  All the actors were impeccable. The role of the wife is played by Astrid Stromdal who has given a magnificent performance. Husband, played by Ian Trewhella, is also instrumental in the film though he played a little part. Simeon Thoresen who played the role of the intruder is dangerously fascinating in this film. Milla Venita Renaa Hafstad and Stormur Kristjansson who played the characters of daughter and son respectively have also left their mark on the screen. In a completely dialogue-free film, Claudio Riquenes & Viram’s music successfully represents the different shades of the film. The background score is so mild that throughout the film it remains non-observant but presents somewhere. I won’t reveal the plot of the film. To be exact, there is no such plot in the movie. An intruder enters into a house and rapes a woman. This is the plot in a nutshell. But as I said earlier, it is the approach and the medium of the film that stands out. This film will stay with you for a long period because of its approach. You need to applaud the performances of the actors as the film doesn’t have any cuts. A film without a cut has to be appreciated. This 27-minute long, uniquely shot film has many things to say to its viewers. People from Norway will be very proud of the film. This is such an experiment that in the future other filmmakers will do it too. This film is a stern reply to those who believe having CCTV cameras reduce crimes. CCTV cameras only increase vigilantism. The film starkly highlights that a person can get into someone’s house and rape a woman. The intruder in this film was wearing a black dress which suggests one cannot identify the person regardless of a CCTV camera. It proves CCTV cameras don’t reduce crime. In the film, the family has six different cameras but still an intruder able to sneak in and ransack the entire family. The film is also a study of the intruder’s psychology. In the beginning, one may think that he is a burglar. But he is not. He doesn’t steal, he doesn’t kill. He rather behaves well with the kid. He only rapes the woman. This is the only thing for which he intrudes. He is a psychopath. I would like to give 5 stars out of 5 to Security Camera. The film is not compared to the ones that we see normally. Using CCTV footage as film material needs to be appreciated.