First impressions have Bittersweet looking to be im
passive and at the very least interesting. The short film, a production of 3rd year Film and Television students from University of York, certainly has a strong premise. After the events of an unknown apocalypse, two young siblings (younger brother and older sister) are wandering alone and insecure until they come across a chocolate factory where, for the moment, their worries are alleviated. Finding themselves in what would be any child’s fantasy, they relax and enjoy the safety they now have, able to act and play as children.
This situation, as you might guess, quickly becomes dangerous as the haven that the two have found is invaded, in various forms, by the harsh reality they initially thought they had escaped. This forces Elise, the sister of the two, to protect her brother both physically and mentally.
This setup may not be original but it provides a great backdrop and setup to a strong and powerful story, with a large deal of maneuverability for possible directions and places the film could go. As tired a cliche as the phrase is, don’t fix what is not broken.
The short film promises to be something of a Tarantino-esque take on the post-apocalypse genre with a particular focus on the characters in the story. The production team has already secured the old Terry’s chocolate factory, here in York, which gives an excellent location for the story to take place. In short, keep an eye on this one – it promises to an excellent delivery and will most likely meet those expectations.
If your interest is piqued, take a look at their Indiegogo page.