Shattered: Short Effective Filmmaking To Remember The Past

Set in the Netherlands during the Second World War, ‘Shattered’ tells the story of Ilse, a young Jewish lady who lives in fear of what the Nazi occupation will mean for her and her brother. In four short years, her life is shattered by the horrors of the war. A concentration camp survivor, she returns home to find out who informed the Nazis of her location and betrayed her.

The film, written by Brogan Waller- Parkinson, was due to be taken off the list of productions planned by The Northern Film School, due to its original producer dropping out. It was taken on by producers Oliver Duffy and Nicholas Teslich, and later Bethany Goode, with the trio forming a pact to ensure its creation.

Filmed entirely on location in Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom, the crew overcame difficulties with location work and production design, transforming the city in 2020 into 1940s Netherlands. This happened two weeks before the UK’s COVID lockdown, enabling the crew to work remotely throughout post-production.

You may think this 14-minute film came with a risk of disjointed or ineffective storytelling since a subject of this magnitude surely deserves more screen time, but director Teresa Moorhead handles each element with a confident hand, bringing us a heartfelt, engaging, and impacting drama. Crucially, the brief but engaging performances support a screenplay that cleverly provides a short and sharp reminder of what Jews in Europe experienced during the second world war.

In summary, Shattered is short but effective filmmaking, provoking thought, emotion, and reminding us we cannot repeat the mistakes of the past.  The film has successfully entered the festival circuit, received several nominations and two awards including Best Historical Short and Best Hair and Makeup. It will be interesting to see how far-reaching and successful this short will be.

Images provided by the Northern Film School.

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David Emmanuel Noel

David Emmanuel Noel is an avid blogger, film fanatic, art enthusiast, music lover, and theatergoer. He is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and PR consultant who has been involved in several music events and visual art exhibitions at venues such as the Kennedy Center Washington DC, Bernie Grant Arts Centre London, the Landmark Arts Building New York, and Whole 9 Gallery in Culver City, California. He has worked closely with institutes, professional bodies, and agencies such as the Royal Institute of British Architects, New York Mayor’s Office, CAMBA- the New York-based agency, the NSPCC, and several London Boroughs on projects supporting the environmental and therapeutic benefits of the arts. He is based in London and New York.

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