Devotion
2015, 14 minutes
Don't let him in.
A room in a house that's a mausoleum. A husband and wife who have forgotten each other. A game they should not play. As the anniversary of their daughter's death approaches, a couple must try to find a way to forgive, and start over. Devotion is my first short as a film maker. I wanted to create a simple story and tell it in a way that captures and intrigues. I aim to share the space where Lynch overlaps with Pinter at a house party hosted by Hitchcock. Or as my friends would say 'a Dan Horrigan film'. I worked on the project with collaborators I've known going back years, the final scene is not something you should try unless there is a level of absolute trust and you have already made all your mistakes. I wrote the script whilst studying an MA in Dramatic Writing at Drama Centre London, and its a very simple setup, payoff, twist structure. Though you are quite right to question the reality of what you see in narrative terms, and to ask what's really happening? I wanted to tell this story as an exploration of grief, and love gone dark. It's a story about the human shadow really, how it can overwhelm us, if we don't learn to live with it. Working with Fraser Watson the DoP was my first collaboration in film, and we spent a long time talking about the way we wanted to capture the story. We hope you find that there are moments in the film where you feel you are watching something you shouldn't be. It is an intense and also measured ride through the breakdown of a family. I've known the actors for over ten years, and owe them a huge debt of gratitude. They are familiar with my work as a writer and director, which allowed us to penetrate the text and achieve the subtlety you see in the finished product. When it came to the twist we were able to work simply and precisely to achieve the profound discomfort you will experience. Franc Cinelli is another long time collaborator, and his music is perfect for the mood and atmosphere of the piece. It is a very strong presence, which is inseparable from the experience of the film overall. Thank you for reading and all the team hope you enjoy the film. Dan Horrigan
