Ivan Kander
A kinetic kaleidoscopic autobiography that dips deep into nostalgia and memory, Rat Tail is less a short documentary than it is a visual documentation of self-discovery. If that sounds navel-gazing and pretentious, fear not: filmmaker and primarily profile subject Chad Sogas is a self-deprecating tour guide as he navigates you through the ups and down of his life, steering us from memories of his childhood to an adult dealing with deep-seeded anxiety and depression.
I know…I know…a self-exploration of depression doesn’t exactly sound like a good time (and this could easily have been a 15-minute myopic mopefest). But, Rat Tail ends up being a surprisingly inspiring and hopeful look at a man learning to discover his own worth. Filled with jokes and a breezy sensibility (at least for its first half), the film never gets mired in the lugubriousness of its subject matter. Rather, it’s about a person taking an honest look at themselves and how they became the person they currently are. More importantly, it showcases the importance of mental health and the courage it can take to actually address and deal with the negative voices inside our own heads. The film’s congenial tone never makes light of the seriousness of what it’s actually about—about the things we bury inside ourselves and try to keep hidden from those around us.
“The process for making this film was all about the editing. The story was always evolving as I was able to make new connections” – Sogas discussing his production methods
The film’s fast-paced, mixed media approach feels reminiscent of other stand-out short documentaries in this space: most notably Charlie Tyrell’s much acclaimed My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes. But, there is even notable emulation of the rapid editing and voiceover phrasing (e.g “this is my [insert object here]“) of Ariel Schulman & Henry Joost’s somewhat seminal A Brief history of John Baldessari. The film’s “remix” aesthetic is perfectly suited for this sort of delivery, especially as Sogas expertly weaves together his own narration with old video, photographs, and polished narrative reenactments (the latter of which becomes a meta plot point within the film itself). It’s a testament to Sogas’s skill and honesty as a filmmaker and subject that the film never becomes a solipsistic mess: it doesn’t feel false or manipulative, but rather compassionate and personal in its discussion of mental health and anxiety.
As Sogas relates to Short of the Week:
“I found the strength and inspiration to make Rat Tail in other artists’ stories about their own struggles with mental illness. With this film, it was my hope that my story could do the same for others. To help people understand that they are not alone. As I began to focus on this more objective POV, it made it easier to let down my guard and be more vulnerable and honest with the storytelling, which was always what I was aiming to achieve.”
Sogas is currently developing a new narrative short film while simultaneously exploring a subject for a new short documentary.
As we head into a new year (after two years that have been universally taxing all of us), Rat Tail serves as a reminder to take a deep breath and take care of yourself.