Metal
2021 · 21m · USA
Directed by Mischa Webley
Genres: drama
Tones: contemplative, melancholic, provocative
After the loss of his beloved grandson — a talented graffiti artist — a grandfather channels his grief by picking up a spray can himself, painting the city in his grandson's memory.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Grieving grandpa picks up a spray can after his graffiti-artist grandson dies — Sundance-bait premise rendered as expected. The 'unlikely lens' is the only lens this concept has.
An elderly graffiti artist mourning his grandson is a genuinely tender premise that earns its small claim on attention, and the unlikeliness of the form-meets-grief gesture is its strongest asset. Modest, sincere.
Elderly grandfather picking up the spray can as grief expression is an unusual angle on street art - the protagonist demographic alone makes it distinctive. 19 min on Klipist; whether the painting sequences earn the emotional weight is the open question.
Festivals
- Austin Film Festival 2021
- Toronto Black Film Festival
- American Black Film Festival
- Portland Film Festival