TORONTO LIFT-OFF FILM FESTIVAL 2021:
Alice (Val Mervis) is alone after losing the love of her life, Leo (Laurent Pitre). She journeys back to the apartment where the bulk of their relationship took place, and as she steps into said apartment, the memories of what life once was come rushing back. Give Time tells the story of Alice attempting to come to terms with her struggles, overcome the obstacles that life has thrown her way, and understand how to move forward. As the past and present play out simultaneously, Alice’s troubles become real once again, and her life will be difficult to endure.
Leo resonates with me; he’s young, a bit naive, and even a bit awkward. He’s everything I was as a young adult, and, honestly, he’s everything that I struggled to like about myself. As I watched the character develop his purpose became clear: he’s here to remind viewers that, regardless of who you are, or what you dislike about yourself, there is a place for you in this world--and better yet, someone loves you (even if it doesn’t always feel that way). In a way, supplemental to the primary storyline of the film, Give Time is here to remind viewers of this sentiment, and provide a sense of hope for those who may not have any. Sure, there’s a bit of turbulence that exists throughout the film that may cause individuals to question this reality, but that’s life--and nothing in life, regardless of how beautiful, is perfect.
As beautifully written as the character is, allowing him to resonate with viewers, the bulk of that connection comes as a result of Pitre’s acting ability. Both he and Mervis possess a level of simplicity that is essential to the development and ultimate on-screen birth of a character. They truly bring to life both Leo and Alice throughout the course of Give Time and allow viewers to feel the emotion present in Alice’s journey--due to their simplistic and realistic approaches. As the film climaxes I was brought to tears, as both Alice and Leo perfectly exemplify the tragedy of life and the horrible ups and downs that are ever-present throughout our existence.
I’m so impressed with what both Mervis and Pitre bring to the table and their ability to express emotion and effortlessly pull viewers into their story. However, the most captivating aspect of Give Time is the fact that, as Alice’s past and present converge into one, cohesive story, the transition between the two points in time are flawless. Using a juxtaposition of light and darkness to allow viewers to discern between the two time periods is a wonderfully brilliant choice. Bringing that to life is a tall task, particularly for a film on a budget--which, more often than not, is the case of independent films. Clément Douillet, the man in charge of editing this marvelous film, creates pristine transitions between light and dark and past and present--managing to deliver endless emotion and intriguing sentiment from beginning to end. I was floored by the remarkable talent of Douillet and all that he was able to bring to Give Time.
With so much to love it becomes difficult to pinpoint the one thing that stands out the most in Luis Oliva’s Give Time. However, what really impressed me about the film was how impeccably well done the editing was, and how wonderfully viewers are immersed in Alice’s world as a result of Douillet’s prowess. This heartbreaking story is led by both Mervis and Pitre, and their abilities shine brightly throughout the course of the film. They bring to life emotions ranging from genuine happiness, to depression, and even anger. The reality of what Give Time presents the world is that it’s honest and heavy on the hearts of viewers. There are times when the emotion becomes a lot to handle, but like I mentioned before, life isn’t perfect, and dealing with these emotions can often be difficult. Give Time is beautiful, honest, and full of energy--this short film is sure to be a success.
Directed by Luis Oliva.
Written by Laurent Pitre.
Starring Val Mervis, Laurent Pitre & Felicia Shulman.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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