Bet She’an

 Note 

This film is slow-paced for current standards, over-stimulated viewers will need to exercise patience.

Along the lines of Eugène Ionesco’s Rhinoceros, this short created by Supinfocom Arles students presents a haunting case of metamorphosis and human regression, a transformation of society as a whole into animal shape. It offers a metaphorical portrait of modern society’s influence on humanity, its collective pressure on people and its regressive final outcome.

The short uses a rather descriptive camera, with shots of empty rooms and corridors inhabited by sounds and just a few recognizable characters. Action sequences are intentionally scarce. Still, the film delivers a strong message and complements it with wonderful work on framing, composition and aesthetic in general.

While there are some hints scattered throughout the film the reason for the transformation is revealed more clearly in the final image (which also provides some humorous relief).