Short of the Week

Play
Horror Aaron Cohen

And Then! He Kissed Me

A small bump in an otherwise smooth date sends Nastya on a gory journey of self actualization.

Play
Horror Aaron Cohen

And Then! He Kissed Me

A small bump in an otherwise smooth date sends Nastya on a gory journey of self actualization.

And Then! He Kissed Me

Directed By Aaron Cohen
Produced By VGIK Kino Studio
Made In Russia

Ah the awkwardness of first dates! All that anxiety that builds in the lead up to the event, as we’re getting ready, quickly followed by those insecurities that accompany us as we finally meet the other person… well, back when first dates didn’t involve Zoom! In And Then! He Kissed Me, writer/director Aaron Cohen uses genre and comedy to recreate the inner turmoil of this very relatable moment, playing with the tropes of both to deliver an entertaining and oddly emotionally accurate film that might not be for those faint of heart.

“I was interested in making a movie about first date anxieties”

The fact that And Then! He Kissed Me deals with a situation we are all familiar with provides the initial hook for the film, but it’s the direction in which Cohen takes his narrative, and the world he creates, that makes the film subvert our early expectations. “I was interested in making a movie about first date anxieties, using horror tropes to exaggerate those emotions and make them felt by the viewer”, Cohen shares with us as we discuss the initial spark for the film, 

Awkward dates are almost a rite of passage and though they may feel momentous occasions at the time, ultimately, there’s not that much at stake. “It’s really an absurd fear to have, and I think there’s some humor in that absurdity”, Cohen explains, and the director perfectly utilizes humour throughout ATHKM to enhance the horror (and vice-versa), resulting in a bloody, but fun watch.

And-then-he-kissed-me-short-film

Natalia Petrachkova (L) & Ivan Oranski in And Then! He Kissed Me.

The overall concept of the film is extremely promising, and Cohen doesn’t hesitate to push it to its limits. Choosing to bypass dialogue was a big gamble, but one that worked as both actors manage to avoid falling into the trap of overdoing their interactions. The director also makes sure to keep his audience on its toes by escalating the tension and adding some insane twists.

Playing with different genres – such as psychological thriller, body horror, slasher movie etc –  And Then! He Kissed Me manages to maintain a constantly comedic tone, amplifying its unique and extremely entertaining vibe. At the same time, Cohen also submerges us in his surreal situation, and as bizarre as it is, you can’t help but place yourself in that scene and wonder how far we’d be willing to go to conceal our own insecurities.

“Our energy in production was spent on trying to find a balance between fantasy and believability”

A certain level of suspension of disbelief is necessary, but Cohen sets it up so craftily that we don’t even feel forced into it. A specific atmosphere needed to be built to bring his screenplay to the screen and he admits that “a lot of our energy in production was spent on trying to find a balance between fantasy and believability”. Visually, from the very beginning with its color palette and lights, the film has a horror mood, yet the sound makes it feel rather light and fun. The camera movements and frames reflect quite effectively the main character’s state of mind as well. And as for those zits…they’re just the right amount of disgusting!

“We built the apartment set in a sound stage, operating on the principle that we’d try our best to make it as realistic as possible and embrace the inevitable artificial feel as part of the film’s design”, Cohen reveals as we discuss his approach to production. “The same principle applied to sound as well. We didn’t record any sound on set, and while we tried our hardest to re-create everything in post, we hoped that the cracks in our efforts would contribute to a feeling of “movie magic.””

While the genre aficionado on the S/W team is most definitely not me, when a film is good I do dabble with those referred to as “midnight films” on the festival circuit. And Then! He Kissed Me proves that Aaron Cohen knows how to use genre to cleverly enhance his narrative and give it a fresh twist. His ability to successfully juggle a coming-of-age narrative, through a lens that combines horror and comedy, means we’re already impatiently awaiting his next project.