“Sweet Memories” By Jessica Wu

Alone in a homey Japanese eatery, a schoolboy reminisces his failed attempts to woo his crush. He daydreams an elaborate dance number and band performance to redeem his image in the hopes she might reconsider.

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.

“Sweet Memories” is a swan song to the innocent liveliness a little kid possesses before the teenage years eclipse - an embrace of all the silliness and messiness of preteen love. Partially an excuse to inject my obsession with Asian snacks into memories of growing up with a goofy younger brother, this short film answers the question: What if Stephen Chow directed A Brighter Summer Day? 

The visuals - inspired by Taiwanese and Japanese cinematic masterpieces from Edward Yang to Yasujirō Ozu - express the warm nostalgic musing of a schoolboy with a crush. How painful and overwhelming yet ridiculous and light-hearted it all is in hindsight.

I am honored to have attained the rights to the classic 1977 Hawaiian groove track, "Lihue", as it sparked the entire idea and perfectly expresses the heartbroken wistful longing of our boy.

Jessica Wu - Director

Credits

Starring:
Roman Pesino as The Boy
Elsa Park as The Crush
Arcadia Leung as The Friend
Jimmy Zhou on keys
Enrique Baniqued on drums
Susana Cofinco And Jocelyn Pardinas as The Aunties
Tenzin Norbu as The Bartender

Featuring: “Lihue” by Nohelani Cypriano

Director & Producer: Jessica JM Wu

Director of Photography: Kay Grospe

Editor: Maria Todorov-Topouzov

Production Company: Undivided Creative

Assistant Director, Line Producer & Covid Coordinator: Colin Walker
1st Assistant Camera & DIT: Richard Gonzales
Gaffer: John Mauch
Production Designer: Karen Selina N.
Key PA/Swing: Max Medvediev
Art PA: Enrique Baniqued
Colorist: Kassi Bellamy
Graphic Designer: Dwight Balutan
VFX: Genesis Rivas
Assistant Editor: Aya Chouaib

Thank You:
Cord International & Hana Ola Records, Deborah Hong, Vince Tran, Luke Truman
Kelly Nguyen, Ryan Louis, Justin Bignall, Patrick Silverio, Emily Smillie, Helen Wu (Mom)
Imanishi Japanese Kitchen, Ground Glass Casting, Propaganda Art-House
William F. White, Darling Colour & VFX

Hey filmmakers! Have a project of your own you’d like us to check out?