“surrender” By Jean-Luc Oicle

A visual poem in flux, as its characters, led by a yearning for internal refuge in the face of uncontrollable change. Their introspection takes them deep into relationship with themselves and with nature - a lost haven.

The short film IN MEDIAS RUSH is an experimental cinematic journey into the depths of a manic mind. A poetic retro-sci-fi narrative unfolded in a string of unsettling tableaus that encapsulates the male protagonist’s ambiguous feelings about his birthday. While balancing between realities in his silent struggle with severe mental illness, we plunge into the film at a neatly orchestrated birthday party. The protagonist is accompanied by his girlfriend, and they are drinking cocoa on the couch in their mutual home. The setting breathes pure perfection, but through the voice over we sense that another reality is soon to be revealed. With one foot on the accelerator, he is heading towards the edge. The thematic focal point of IN MEDIAS RUSH is mental health problems among young adults, and the social/personal consequences related to the existing taboo on the subject. The film wishes to formulate an honest cinematic space in which words, sound, and image artistically interprets and articulates some of the perspectives related to especially bipolar, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. IN MEDIAS RUSH was nominated in the category 'Best Danish Short Film' at Copenhagen Short Film Festival in 2020. Original title: IN MEDIAS RÆS Directed by: Esben Persson -------------------- DK: IN MEDIAS RÆS IN MEDIAS RÆS er en filmisk rejse ind i dybderne af et manisk sind. En ung mand fejrer sin fødselsdag, mens hans tanker tordner afsted. Med en uvillig fod på speederen har han kurs mod kanten. FR: IN MEDIA RES IN MEDIA RES est un voyage dans les profondeurs d’un esprit maniaque. Un jeune homme fête son anniversaire tandis que ses pensées se multiplient. Malgré lui, il se dirige vers un point de non-retour. -------------------- Cast: Peter Alexander Bach & Amanda Overby Drew Director // Script writer // Set designer // Costume designer // Editor // Speaker: Esben Persson Photographer // Editor: Lasse Mølsted Producer: Latifa Lykke Ben Mabrouk Assistant producer: Cecilie Creutsberg Music composer: Martin Bejder Sound designer: Mads Hye Chief Lighting Technician: Rasmus Bruun Liboriussen VFX: Jonas Fonnesbæk Lodahl Colorist: Kristopher Paterson Graphic designer: Jakob Toft Kristensen -------------------- Shot on RED Monstro 8K with Lomo Squarefront Anamorphics.

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Credits

Starring: Francis Mayer, Clarissa Cassano, Benjamin Roy, Magali Roche, & Sofia Pauline-Balouk

Director: Jean-Luc Oicle
Producer: Isabel Leblanc & Jean-Luc Oicle
Director of Photography: Tom McNamara
1st AC: Cory Reynolds
Grip: Austin Graff & Sean Dubé
Editor: Jean-Luc Oicle
Sound Design: Simon Blitzer & Cult Nation
Colourist: Martin Gaumond (Outpost MTL)
PA: Andrew Halverson & Amanda Kossits

SPECIAL THANKS:
Savannah Lentz, John Lipsz, Alexis Beauregard, Thomas Bellefleur, Wilhends Norvil, Rayane Sabbagh, Henry Acteson, Post Moderne Caméra, Vlad Cojocaru, Theo Porcet, Gino Visconti, Sam Avant, Gilles Côté, Graham Gammell, Eric Oicle