Written by Andie Kaiser
The Empty Nest is a lovely, understated little short about a single mother and her daughter, who’s moving away from home for the first time. In just five minutes, director Kleidi Likola paints a bittersweet portrait of two women, each navigating the unknown future, yet who never truly leave each other as they do so.
In one of the first scenes of the film, daughter Robin (Rafaelia Socratous) is seen packing up the last of her things. Her mother, Donna (Tammie Webster), watches from the side, periodically asking if Robin has remembered various necessities (passport, visa). It’s a scene so universal that it almost needs no explanation, and anyone who’s been on either side of the situation will be familiar with the emotions that run through these short exchanges. Eventually, Donna’s questions get to the heart of the matter, and her voice rises as she asks her daughter why she’s going so far away. But when Robin kneels to zip up her large suitcase, a split-second later, she’s joining her on the ground to help.
After Robin has left, the film stays with Donna in the house as she goes about her daily chores. Taking clothes out of the laundry, she pauses, presumably being met with items that her daughter has left behind. Later in the kitchen, she’s seen making dinner and instinctively pulls two cups out of the kitchen cupboard, only to realize that there is no second person eating with her anymore. It’s not melodramatic, though, just realistic.
The overall visual quality is really what makes this film stand out. Great work is done with light and shadow, underscoring the sense of change and loneliness felt in the house. There’s a moment where Donna blows out birthday candles, her face illuminated just by the light of the flames. More generally, though, the film sticks to a gentle and cohesive colour palette, with an atmosphere made of soft creams and browns. These choices only complement the story and bring the audience’s attention to all the emotions lying beneath the film’s calm tableaus.
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Photos: Filmotomy
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