STAFF PICK: Crossword
By Emily Lock – Conference Director
Over the course of one week, CROSSWORD tracks an unraveling couple’s fragile emotional state as they grapple with the death of their daughter. Anchoring by powerful, grounded performances by our two main characters, we feel for both husband and wife as they each attempt to navigate life and marriage in the wake of tragedy. The film is a masterclass in allowing the audience to discover the plot as it unfolds: it never tells us directly what our characters are battling, but it shows us in their every glance.
The tension mounts as the husband becomes increasingly anxious and paranoid, and the wife becomes increasingly frustrated by his antics. As the man, possessed by his own guilt from the fatal accident, devolves into a volatile frenzy, the audience begins to question whether we can trust his version of events. The suspense builds and builds with each eerie incident, culminating in a shocking turn of events that leaves us questioning everything we know about this world and its characters.
CROSSWORD
(USA, 97 MIN)
Writer: Kyle Anderson, Michael Vlamis
Director: Michael Vlamis
Cast: Aurora Perrineau, Michael Vlamis, Harvey Guillén, Nick Thune
Make sure you catch one of two showings of CROSSWORD while at AFF: