FANTASTIC FEST 2023 - "TRANSITION" IS AN INCLUSIVE TAKE ON THE HOME INVASION STORY
It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year for genre festival fans, and MACABRE DAILY is your source for FANTASTIC FEST 2023 coverage! This year, a ghastly selection of our staff have been invited to participate in a series of virtual screenings premiering at FANTASTIC FEST in AUSTIN, TX. This year’s selection of films ranges from the darkly comic to the dreadfully dire and all things fantastic in between. Check out the review below for TRANSITION (TRANSICIÓN)!
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
'Transition' tells the story of an elderly trans woman who receives an unexpected visitor.
HOW IS IT?
One of the many blessings of genre film festivals is a two-pronged focus on uplifting marginalized voices and integrating short films into the programming. While feature-length films may be the focal point for many cinephiles, short films are often the “fun-sized” equivalent of the cinematic experience. Packing in dense, deep, and provoking material into a fraction of the time one typically takes to tell a story. In Transition, DAVID VELDUQUE brings a fresh perspective on the home invasion genre through the lens of an aging trans woman possibly suffering from dementia.
Like many horror films of recent years, Transition plays with the literal and metaphorical interchangeably. Ángela (CELESTE GONZÁLEZ) is a trans woman living out her golden years alone in her apartment. She has the care of her regular social worker/friend, and yet, it becomes clear he may be one of only a few connections Ángela has to the outside world. The camera lingers on photos around her apartment that act like hallmarks of a life well-lived, but almost passed. Ángela may also be suffering from dementia, which makes her unexpected visitor somewhat of a mystery to her and the audience, but that is about as far as we can go there for the sake of not spoiling anything.
What works so well about Transition is the way in which the film dabbles in both the obscure and the grounded at the same time. The horror elements of Ángela’s unexpected visitor are extremely effective due to well-placed lighting and shots that offer just enough of a glimpse to rattle you. Clocking in at around 16 minutes, Transition does a lot with a little and makes great use of performance and technique to ratchet tension. The one area in the film that falters slightly is the ending, specifically the editing. It takes you out of the very visceral scene with jerky editing that feels more applicable in a music video, nevertheless, it doesn’t ruin what is otherwise a truly wonderful viewing experience.
LAST RITES
Transition is an intriguing and artful take on the home invasion genre that offers an inclusive take on a terrifying experience.
THE GORY DETAILS
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Where can you watch it?
TRANSITION (TRANSICIÓN) is currently playing at FANTASTIC FEST 2023.
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