Rob Munday
Womanhood, friendship, loss…how much is it possible to tackle in just under four-minutes? Australian filmmaker Dani Pearce proves that duration should be no limit when it comes to storytelling, as her powerful, lyrical short Backpedal provides a punch equal to that of films 5, 10 and even 20-times longer.
Adapted from an Olivia Gatwood poem of the same name, Backpedal is not only an impressive example of all that can be achieved within such a short runtime, it’s an exciting, bold film that presents new angles on important themes. “I hold strong perspectives on the ways that I want women and their stories presented in film texts and in many ways, this film was an extension of that”, Pearce explains.
“Women handing their stories on to be told by other women”
Drawn to Gatwood’s poem as she felt it presented a “universal experience of womanhood”, Pearce took the poet’s personal tale of teenage years in New Mexico and transported it to her homeland, where the story feels equally at home. “I loved being able to see my own sense of narrative in her story”, the director reveals, and watching Gatwood read her poem and then viewing Backpedal, it’s exciting to see both artists shining through in this short. Or as Pearce explains it: “Women handing their stories on to be told by other women. Pretty beautiful. Essential, really.”
And Backpedal does feel like both of those things – beautiful and essential. Its poetic, lyrical roots permeate the film with a graceful rhythm that provokes such strong emotional reactions. The gripping performances of its cast feeling perfectly choreographed to the voiceover, the characters feeling so tangible, despite the actors never uttering a word. I’m not sure a straight narrative piece could match the impact.
The water tank featuring Jonny’s motionless body becomes a recurring themes in Backpedal
“I made this film to reckon with my own lived experience, and henceforth – be able to share and proliferate that amongst other women (and beyond)”, Pearce concludes as we finish discussing Backpedal. Though this write-up may have been better handled by a female member of the S/W team, as someone in the “(and beyond)” category of the director’s description I’m grateful to have shared in the experience. It certainly provokes some essential internal dialogue, whatever your gender.
Having won a Cannes Young Director Award in 2019 and then screened at Sundance 2020, though we may be a little late to feature Backpedal on S/W its distinct approach and timeless message mean it hasn’t lost any of its topicality and freshness. With this short such an eye-catching and impressive piece, it should come as no surprise that following its success Pearce has a number of projects in the works. We’ll be keeping an eye out for a new short, her debut feature and a collection of essays in the future, but for now, lets just bask in the glory of Backpedal – I can’t think of many better ways to spend four-minutes today.