Tombstone Pillow Review

Tombstone Pillow is a 2019 short film directed by Bayou Bennett and Daniel Lir.

Film is not only a space to tell stories and share experiences, but also one that can make a big difference. That is the goal of Tombstone Pillow which wastes no time in tugging at your heartstrings.

The initial reaction I had from the visual style of the short was something akin to the film City of God, in its portrayal of the harsh living conditions of Manila in the Philippines. To think that there are so many families living in cemeteries in this country is quite shocking, something I had no idea about myself.

The great thing about this film is that it wastes no time telling a story, so quickly in fact that it is almost to its own detriment. I could easily see where this short could be vastly expanded to show the disparity between the wealthy and impoverished. That is exactly what is at the heart of this film, the severe class divide that exists in far too many places, especially in a country like the Philippines.

My only negative I can say with the story is that at times it does feel like some of the drama is a little too telegraphed to the audience. It almost slips into the area of melodrama but with the quick pacing none of it is lingered on for too long. Also as mentioned before the ellipses in time can in places feel a little too quick, especially on top of fast-moving edits.

The visuals on display here though are beautiful with cinematography by Mycko David really showing off a lot of visual fidelity. The images are deep and layered, even when we are in the rawer outdoor areas there is a good look to it all. The sound mix here is well maintained too and is very rich throughout.

Lastly the acting is very well done with leads Lourdes Duque Baron and Kendra Sison De Mesa as Olivia and Maria respectively, giving solid portrayals. There is a little bit of that previously mentioned telegraphing here in parts, I think there is always something to be said of more understating for high emotionality in scenes. The extras all deserve special note here too, with a large swath of the people giving great scenes of high tension as well as quick glances of empathy to those who occupy this area.

All in all, I think Bennett and Lir have done a commendable job with this film. As we have been in touch, they mentioned directing from 6,000 miles apart over Facebook Live. I expected that to be something that just happened this past year but seeing as the film was made in 2019, it was remarkable that they did this before the rise of the Zoom meeting culture we live in now. This is a film to watch, bringing awareness to an important cause.

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Cheers!

Daniel Hess

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