Rob Munday
Picture the scene…the world is gripped by a global pandemic, families are isolated in their homes and distrust in others is at an all-time high. Thankfully, I’m not talking about the current state of the world for once, but instead a short inspired by our recent experiences. Motivated to create a story that explores “the subject of love in the face of hopelessness”, Jan Verdijk (Wild) returns to Short of the Week with Pantser (Shielded) – a 21-minute film following two young sisters struggling to survive in a dangerous universe.
Introducing us to siblings Roos and Mira as they play table tennis in their tightly-sealed home in the woods, we get a quick glimpse into the lives as we witness the dead body just outside the house, the covered air ducts and their dinner choice – cat food or a jar of some pickled foodstuff. As they await the return of their parents, who went for help a month ago, it’s clear the girls are on borrowed time, so when a man in a hazmat suit appears outside their window promising a safe haven in an underground bunker, they have a decision to make.
“A few weeks after the pandemic had begun, I felt like our world was moving downwards in an unending bottomless pit” – Verdijk on the inspiration behind Pantser
From the opening scenes of Pantser, with its muted colour palette and eerie landscapes, you can tell this isn’t going to be a cheerful film, but despite the sombre tone, Verdijk’s inspiration wasn’t all doom and gloom. The COVID-19 situation was obviously the kicking-off point for his narrative and the director wanted to explore “the emotions of fear and loneliness everyone was having at the time”, while also highlighting how testing times like these should help remind us all of “the importance of family”.
Exploring the bond between these two sisters, despite the end-of-days scenario Pantser isn’t really an action-packed film, but more a character piece centred around the life-changing decision the pair will have to make – whether to trust this stranger or not. Without an adult presence in the house, older sister Roos has taken on the maternal role, being strong for her younger sibling and providing the sense of hope they both need to make it through these testing times. It’s a classic case of putting your own needs to one side to make sure your loved ones are taken care of and their relationship and dynamic is really the crux of the film, not the pandemic.
Focused on dialogue over action, this doesn’t mean that Pantser is lacking in tension, the back and forth between Roos and Mira, and then between the girls and the visitor, doing an excellent job in brewing a taut atmosphere. Discussing his aims for the film, Verdijk reveals that at a basic level he set out to “create a suspenseful film which was also emotionally engaging”. While technically he wanted to hone his craft and try something new, admitting that the freedom in the short film format meant that “if they fail, hopefully, no one will go bankrupt”.
Nola Kemper (L) and Femke de Booys play sisters Roos & Mira in Pantser
Director Stuart Willis (Payload) once came up with a description for his filmmaking that really stuck with me, labelling his approach to genre as “sci-fi with a soul”. It’s not a groundbreaking idea that the best films in the fantasy arena are the ones based around relatable characters and recognisable emotions, but often with science-fiction or horror, filmmakers can overlook the basics and focus on development potential or eye-catching FX work. Verdijk gets it just right with Panster, the world-building impresses, the craft is stellar and the performances are engaging, but most importantly the emotions land. As the director didn’t label his apocalyptic tale a science fiction, we can’t call it sci-fi with a soul, but how about horror with a heart?
The fourth short we’ve featured from Amsterdam-based production company DPPLR – following Rotor, Arrêt Pipi & Hellingproef – with Pantser scooping the prestigious Golden Calf for Best Short Film at the 2021 Netherlands Film Festival, Verdijk says he’s “excited and honored” to be working with the same team on his debut feature, which he hopes to release in 2023. We’ll look forward to sharing more news on that in the future.