It feels like there’s a little bit more gong on in “Day of the People” than a simple experimental short film. Based on the research I’ve done, director Philip Stainsby seems to have aimed for a short film reminiscent of “Night of the Comet,” but the visual cues seem to hint at something else entirely. “Day of the People” opens with a young man waking up at the very end of humanity and then begins traversing through the city and making his way through something of a business district where the sky is painted a dark shade of Red.
With only the discovery of a soda can, he walks through the streets looking for something, and finds it when he comes across a man walking around in a dark suit. Ultimately I interpreted “Day of the People” as something of a subtle commentary on the downfalls of a perfect Utopia and how some people are so committed to building a new world, they’re not likely to notice when something beyond their control is set to end their plans. Based on the small hints Stainsby adds, the people built this world and they also contributed to destroying it, thus making it a pretty open target for something else. Who knows?
Maybe I’m merely over thinking an experimental film, but Philip Stainsby’s short packs in a lot of nuance and complexity in only ten minutes time. The photography and direction are superb, with Stainsby committing to the dream like atmosphere and paints a grim look at what is the perfectly functioning society where all life isn’t quite present or even emotionally attached, for that matter. I gather “Day of the People” will leave many an audience debating about its meaning when it hits the festival circuit. Philip Stainsby’s short science fiction film is a remarkable short with unique and bold use of color and landscape. I hope to see more from him in the future.