Jason Sondhi
With a provocative premise, H Positive imagines the logical conclusion to one man’s immense self-involvement, yet remarkable assertion of will—qualities that characterize the complicated duality embodied by our capitalist “masters of the universe”. Playing like a dark comedy, yet never winking at the implications set forth, writer/director Glenn Paton’s imagining of one man’s engineered demise strikes an interesting tone, that, paired with impressive production, strikes at the core of our uneasy relations to the economic elite.
Right from the start, our protagonist Mark addresses the camera directly in a 4th wall breaking maneuver familiar from Scorcese, or, a show similarly infatuated with the ethical ambiguities of powerful men, House of Cards. Domineering, but studiously relaxed, Mark sketches out his worldview—a standard boilerplate of self-made mythologizing and aggressive disrespect for the economic underclasses that don’t have the talent, the drive or the gumption to seize the brass ring like he did.
Yet, he is dying.
Death is often thought of as the great equalizer, an affliction that strikes the high and low alike, yet Mark’s confrontation with mortality has not forced a re-evalution of his value system, instead it has hardened his outlook. Death is…common. For a man whose entire self-worth is derived from the transcending the common, this is unacceptable.
Death becomes for Mark, one final competition, how steely can he face the ultimate end, in the process highlighting his self-control. Indeed, control is the operative word, can he control the uncontrollable, bend it to his will, and in the process create a fantastic legacy that simultaneously honors his hedonism, and makes its mark upon the world?
Yet within this posture is the question—whom is this strength for? For what reason must this pose be maintained? It is interesting that he addresses us through the 4th wall, but not through an engineered, “found footage” scenario. No one else shows up in the film except for a single long shot of “the engineer”. Mark’s vast means has allowed him to realize a spectacular death, but ultimately has not allowed him loved ones or friends, the sort of connections most of us associate with a rich life. It is an ugly tragedy that somehow still inspires admiration for those of seduced by the cult of achievement.
Paton comes from the advertising world, a sphere known for it’s cutthroat personalities. A producer of campaigns at BBH, Paton moved to Grey London in 2015 to become their first Head of Film. H Positive allowed Paton to apply some of that expertise and networking to a personal passion project, and H Positive is the result. The famous Academy Films comes aboard for production help after the film’s successful Kickstarter campaign, and festival stops included Palm Springs and Raindance. The success of H Positive has already had a salutary effect, by empowering Paton to quit advertising to pursue filmmaking full-time. Congrats! Support Paton’s bold move by giving the film a watch and adding your feedback below.