Strangers - Short Film Analysis

In this short film there are two males of different ethnicities and religions (one supposedly an Arab Muslim and the other an Israeli Jew) which at first creates tension between them but later they are forced to unite because of a larger oppressive force; a group of white racists . Because they share this common enemy they also share a common struggle and this destructs the stereotypical views they have of one another. This scene occurs on a train, which reflects the journey of change both characters have experienced in the short sequence. Conventional conflicts and stereotypical views are therefore subverted in this film. One shot which is used effectively to divulge the Israeli characters religious beliefs is the close up of his pendant (the Star of David). This not only shows the Arab character which religion the person believes in but also simplifies what is happening to the audience and why there is tension between the characters. The second shot close to the end is a long shot taken from in-between the train tracks which places each character on one side. This is effective because it shows the audience how they are now equal in status unlike at the beginning; this is also further reinforced by a simultaneous matching eye line effect which also portrays that both characters are of equal status.The Star of David pendant helps to unveil the character’s roles in the scene and where he is from. This also creates immediate tension both between the characters and in the audience as the conflict between Arabs and Israelis is a world affair and is globally acknowledged or heard of. An additional prop which is used effectively to show the change in perspective both characters experience are the bags i.e. how one’s view of the other has changed is symbolised by this prop, one is left with the other’s bag so therefore it is like stepping into the other characters shoes in a sense. Throughout the sequence there is an absence of music and non diegetic sound. This may have been done to show the realism of the situation and that this occurs in real life and it is not just necessarily a fictional event. From this short film we experienced first hand the effect/influence a film can have on the audience. Now we understand that a film can have morals behind it and even be a lesson for the audience to take away once they depart from their cinema seats and this be something we will consider to include in our film.