One aspect of film that I am so incredibly tired of are quick cuts. Quick cuts from head to head, kick to kick, scene to scene a la MTV, and it’s a rarity and equal treat to see movies that demonstrate you don’t need quick cuts to keep your audience intrigued, and the lost art of extended panning is a fantastic storytelling device that can work to a director’s benefit. Particularly there’s the sentimental short film “The Truth About Faces” which invokes the works of Robert Altman who loved the long extended pan on characters, and it works to the sheer benefit of director Lindsey Shockley who provides a very down to Earth and compelling glimpse at the mother-daughter dynamic and the relationship woes that come to pass when Mrs. Whitfield’s daughter prepares to leave to South Africa. There’s a lot of underlying themes of tragedy and heartbreak in the duo, and we soon learn of the cause for her painful separation anxiety through truly gripping and compelling sequences that succeed thanks to the entire cast.

Shockley’s direction is top notch with a short centered on one singular extended pan through a women’s clothing department. Through this method she perfectly conveys the heartbreak and inadvertent claustrophobia experienced by the eventual departing of both individuals, particularly from the mom who is noticeably exhausted and emotionally worn from a life of sacrifices and losses and her daughter seems to recognize this inherent routine, and Shockley perfectly uses this method to her advantage never taking the camera off of their faces, and always conveying a sense of heartache in every smile, and every false pleasantry; she realizes that the power is in the expression of our characters mannerisms and body language and keeps us at the emotional height from minute one. “Do you ever get tired of doing the right thing?” Jules asks in a simplistic but powerful moment perfectly summing up who the true main character is in this short story, and Shockley demonstrates an incredible flair for storytelling nuances and parental loss in such a short time frame.

Shockley's short film is thankfully dripping with talent and pure film value, and every expectation I had approaching this was met and surpassed two fold. Strong performances, original directing, and a gripping script make "The Truth About Faces" an entry worth seeking at festivals.

• For more information on "The Truth about Faces" including festival dates, visit the official website.

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