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Review: Merlin Camozzi’s Flesh & Blood (A Violent, Primal Tale of Desperation)

Merlin Camozzi’s Flesh & Blood is an emotional beast of a movie and a violent, primal tale of desperation. It’s potentially the most gripping piece of zombie-esque media since The Last of Us hit gaming consoles. Focusing more on character content than guts and gore, Flesh & Blood follows a small family – two daughters and their dad – as they navigate snowy mountains in a post-apocalyptic world just outside the borders of safety. The world has been overrun by a pandemic that turns humans into violent madmen, and this is the family’s lost hope for survival. Featuring Nick Rapp and Ramiro Pare, and based on the screenplay by Camozzi, this 17 minute short film stars Hannah Telle, Clint Jordan and Charlotte Alexis White. Flesh & Blood is premiering on Film Shortage today, May 31st 2018, and here’s why you should check it out.

It’s just…accurate as all Hell. A mega round of applause to the cast and director Merlin Camozzi for giving Flesh & Blood such stark realism. This short film is filled with blind desperation as the family is hunted by crazed flesh-eaters and one of their very own threatens their survival. The small family is being torn apart, potentially having already lost the girls’ mother, and the way they act towards each other in quiet moments is spot on. Some characters keep their eyes on the ground while others stare at each other when no one’s watching. It wreaks with the air of wanting to say, “I love you so much, I’m sorry,” but none of the characters can bring themselves to say it. What incredible performances from Hannah Telle, Clint Jordan and Charlotte Alexis White, and genius directing from Camozzi. Some scenes were perfect and worthy of Oscar nomination based on these scenes alone.

Besides the lightning in a bottle work between cast and crew, Flesh & Blood is several levels above other short films in its category because of its camera work and scores. Cinematographer Julia Swain should be on everyone’s “must hire” list because she effortlessly captured the beauty of the wilderness and the action-horror that contrasts it in such a sad way. It’s a completely cinematic, six sense tingling experience that few films have to offer in the current market. Sprinkled with editing by David Oh and produced by Camozzi, Oh, Tim Lewis, Ben Haigh and Linda Christina Riedmann, Flesh & Blood is a flawless production and it’s no surprise to me that it screened at festivals around the world including ComicCon International Film Festival, Dances With Films and The Palace Film Festival in Bulgaria. Now. you’ll be able to discover its cruel magic when Flesh & Blood hits Film Shortage today.

Oh, and if you’re wondering about the horror elements… The sick humans are more 28 Weeks Later in nature than Night of the Living Dead. They’re creepy and bloodthirsty, but honestly, you’ll be enjoying everything about Flesh & Blood so much that I doubt they’ll even bother you.

Watch it on Film Shortage: https://filmshortage.com/dailyshortpicks/flesh-and-blood/, or directly on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/270729403.

Final Score: 9 out of 10.

Michael DeFellipo

(Senior Editor)

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