2022 SCREAMFEST REVIEW!
Giving birth is one of the most beautiful things in the world. Bringing life into the world can often give new mothers and fathers a sense of appreciation and meaning–but in Freebirth Alma (Andrea Londo) finds this experience troublesome and excruciating. She finds herself stuck in the woods with her partner, Brooke (Caitlin Gerard)–and her life is in danger. Will she find her way out of the harrowing woods, or with this pregnancy, and the people around her, lead her to an early grave?
To my delight, I found out that Freebirth was part of the Bite Size Halloween anthology series on Hulu. Freebirth keeps pace with the rest of the shorts present in the series, touching on ideas of horror and sex, with just a skosh of comedy thrown in. It finds ways to evoke a series of emotions, often blending them together, never really giving viewers a chance to get a hold of themselves. That’s part of the horror aspect of Freebirth–viewers aren’t ever able to take control of their emotions, subject to whatever it is that Writers Juan Avella and Amy Whittenberger create throughout. They create a brilliant juxtaposition of comedy and horror that transcends the entirety of the episode–and viewers are constantly pulled in different directions, never entirely sure which way they are going.
This constant sense of ambiguity in terms of the tone never allows viewers to settle in, and it keeps them on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Part of how that works so well comes as a result of the lighting. Freebirth exists in the middle of the woods, on a bright, beautiful day–and viewers might expect something exciting and happy to occur throughout. But the ideas of constant threats to the livelihood of the characters on screen ultimately take over. Constantly in perfect light, that juxtaposition comes to life with great vibrancy.
As Freebirth progresses the tone of the film shifts drastically. What was always bright and vibrant, but full of terror and pain, shifts to something altogether strange. As more characters come into the fold, and Alma finds herself in previously uncharted waters, things become downright odd–shifting from those ideas of horror and terror, and becoming something else entirely. I understand, to a degree, the sudden shift. This allows Freebirth to remain fresh until its conclusion, but on the other hand it dilutes what had been building through the first act of the episode. I believe that more of the same would have helped to better round out the episode and allowed the marriage of tones to continue to coexist the way in which they had throughout the earlier portions of the film.
Londo is brilliant in her portrayal of Alma, and she perfectly brings to life each and every piece of the film. With Londo are Gerard and Jodi Moore Lewis (Iris), and they help to develop a narrative that presents the world with powerful women. Each of these three women are tasked with developing different parts of the psyche, and they bring these things to life incredibly well. While there is an obvious plot present throughout the course of Freebirth, it seems that the most important aspect of the film is exploring the different roles that women play. Beneath the surface, but also hiding in plain sight, Avella and Whittenberger create something riveting and original, inviting viewers from all walks of life and spreading the word on a message that is becoming more and more prominent around the world.
Freebirth fits perfectly into the scope of Bite Size Halloween, blending horror and comedy (with social relevance) in a way that is accessible and wild. With three brilliantly talented women taking charge throughout the course of the episode, Freebirth finds success–and it presents its message in a way in which everyone can get on board. Freebirth pulls from many different corners of the cinematic world, and they marry beautifully–never missing a beat and enticing viewers from beginning to end.
Directed by Juan Avella.
Written by Juan Avella & Amy Whittenberger.
Starring Andrea Londo, Caitlin Gerard, Jodi Moore Lewis, Patrick Sanderson, & Ian M. White.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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