Ivan Kander
For a creative medium that is ripe for experimentation, it’s somewhat disappointing that so many of the indie short films I screen are so lacking in originality. Often, it can feel like there are certain short “templates” that aspiring filmmakers end up falling into with their work (e.g. if I watch one more abstract dance video in an abandoned warehouse, I will scream), and as such, when a film tries something inherently different, it always makes me take notice.
Sebastien Tobler’s Joyrider is such a short: a piece that, while simple in terms of narrative, finds a very creative way to visually tell its story—the entire film is intentionally framed from the perspective of a young boy. This means that angles are low, vantage points are purposely cut off. It sounds artificial in construct, but in execution, it’s immersive and naturalistic. If the power of film is the ability to provide us with new perspectives, Joyrider undeniably delivers on the promise. And, frankly, it seems so clever of an approach, that I’m surprised I’ve never seen it used to this degree before.
In turn, Joyrider authentically renders the “feeling” of being a kid: of only really catching glimpses as the world changes around you… being the passenger instead of the one in the driver’s seat. Obviously, the car metaphor is intentional, but I was struck by the emotional rollercoaster our young protagonist is put through. The stakes of the film aren’t gigantic on a macro level, but on a micro-level—for this young boy—they are enormous. For him, he’s not just moving houses, he’s changing planets: his life is shifting around him and all he can do is go along for the ride. Tobler captures this via hushed moments and whispered conversations, forming the threads of a larger scenario without giving us the full context. It’s impressionistic, minimalistic filmmaking at its finest.
A unique perspective is the driving force behind the film’s visual language
It helps, of course, that the film features a truly adorable lead child. I realize that feels like lame analysis on my end, but I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t contribute to my appreciation of the film: cute kids and puppies immediately make my heart melt.
A true testament to the spirit of indie filmmaking, Tobler shot the film for a few hundred bucks and cast his own son (Ronin) as the lead. Likewise, the crew was about as stripped down as you can get. For Joyrider, though, this is a feature not a bug: the film’s minimalism contributes to its verisimilitude, allowing us an intimacy and specificity that makes it resonate on a deeper level.
Tobler is currently in post production on his debut feature film, This Time. Read more about that project here.