PRUNING

Filmmaker Lola Blanc tackles the growing evil of Right-wing extremism in the short film PRUNING. Sami is an up-and-coming right-wing commentator. You know. The kind that lives to cause controversy by spewing “alternative facts” and plays the faux patriotism card. We know these bobbleheads all too well. They are dangerous. PRUNING is a manifestation of festering hatred.

Following her rise to fame in shows like Orange is the New Black, The Handmaid’s Tale, and CAM, Madeline Brewer continues to prove herself a chameleon. Brewer’s Barbie doll platinum hair is perfect. You can see the wheels turning as the fruit of her labor causes chaos. Wrestling between fame and misfortune, the choice physically changes her. It’s a performance that should turn your stomach and give Brewer a standing ovation.

The main all-white set plays a dual role, subconsciously reminding you of white power and allowing your eye to focus on Brewer and the green plants she tends in her quiet time. The practical FX are gag-inducing. The score is ominous. It is easily one of the most affecting and unsettling things I’ve seen this year.

In its fifteen-minute runtime, PRUNING shines a white-hot spotlight on the damage of irresponsible lies. Words matter. There are real-life consequences for hate speech. If you feed the beast, why would it leave? With too much power, the soul rots, and something else grows in its place.

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