I rarely pay for films through Vimeo On Demand (I prefer DVDs), but I think Julia Julep was certainly worth it. This Canadian short film caught my attention for two reasons, both because its plot summary seemed incredibly creative to me, and because it was sadly Quebec actor Greg Kramer's last role before his death in 2013 (he was a regular on the television show Once A Thief alongside Julian Richings). What we get of this film is a young man who has sort of inherited his niece, Julia, after his sister died of unmentioned circumstances very recently. He himself isn't coping with the grief of all this very well, but he puts on a brave face for Julia, who doesn't understand why her mother was taken "to the sky". Her uncle tells her a story while they're at the carnival, about the enormous Julep Orange display (think Dairy Queen's orange julius drinks). He tells her that a doctor lives in the display, a doctor with magical abilities. While his back is turned for just a second, Julia disappears, and there's no sign that she'll ever return.
First off I should mention that the impressive amount of visual work that went into this indie film is strikingly unique, to say the least. From a staircase made out of orange segments to the bright colours that could almost rival Kodachrome, a lot of artistic work is evident throughout and the entire thing is like a deep painting of great detail. And of course the soundtrack, two songs which sound both timeless and incredibly beautiful. The cast was incredible, and in Julia Julep's brief seven minutes they show a great deal of talent, from the main character roles to those on the sidelines, including a young couple who have a brief moment of comedy in the back of a van, a sour-faced drink girl, and Dr. Julep himself, who manages to be quite an effective character even for just standing like a statue. The film is slightly sad in nature due to its themes of psychological torment, mourning and grief, but ultimately it's a story about love, and a story about how the living still need to hold onto each other even after death. It's definitely a short film worth looking at if you ever get the chance.
First off I should mention that the impressive amount of visual work that went into this indie film is strikingly unique, to say the least. From a staircase made out of orange segments to the bright colours that could almost rival Kodachrome, a lot of artistic work is evident throughout and the entire thing is like a deep painting of great detail. And of course the soundtrack, two songs which sound both timeless and incredibly beautiful. The cast was incredible, and in Julia Julep's brief seven minutes they show a great deal of talent, from the main character roles to those on the sidelines, including a young couple who have a brief moment of comedy in the back of a van, a sour-faced drink girl, and Dr. Julep himself, who manages to be quite an effective character even for just standing like a statue. The film is slightly sad in nature due to its themes of psychological torment, mourning and grief, but ultimately it's a story about love, and a story about how the living still need to hold onto each other even after death. It's definitely a short film worth looking at if you ever get the chance.
