Céline Roustan

It’s graduation day and Oz is nowhere to be found. Instead of celebrating with his girlfriend, he’s at home playing with his “toys” – until a package containing a puppet arrives. S/W alum Eros V (Double Tap, Right Place, Wrong Tim) is back on our site with Meat Puppet, another film unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. While the narrative of the short goes a little bananas, the film is nonetheless grounded with emotions that make it both delightfully entertaining and compelling.

“With enough creativity, passion, and appetite for financial ruin, anything is possible”

With the director crediting “old larger-than-life morality tale movies”, such as Liar Liar, Big and Bruce Almighty, as inspiration, he penned a script he hoped “would be a hilariously absurd modern take on that”. The result is not only insanely creative and absurd, but also deeper and more clever than initially meets the eye. An ambitious project, its creator believes that “with enough creativity, passion, and appetite for financial ruin, anything is possible. Including this short film.”

Anyone familiar with V’s previous work knows his talent for surprising audiences with his imagination. While the premise here is fun and unexpected, and the humorous tone so smart, it’s the film’s pacing that makes it so effective. Editor Flaura Atkinson’s sharp cuts allow the film to keep us on our toes, delivering twist after twist, while also seamlessly switching gears to stick the emotional landing of the deeper moments. 

Another element that makes Meat Puppet so enjoyable, and showcases the filmmaker’s attention to detail and creativity, are the transitions between the scenes. Full of humour, they perfectly enhance the overall vibe of the film, unafraid to push the absurdity of the screenplay. Miguel Cármenes’ cinematography also works to amplify that tone, through his framing and camera movements. And let’s not forget this is also a genre film, with a greatly executed element of body horror, that significantly raises the stakes and adds another layer to its appeal.

David Jonsson stars as Oz in Meat Puppet

Meat Puppet’s 12-minute runtime is expertly used to showcase the absurdity of the narrative – complete with a little blood shedding – while also delivering a deeper message about Oz, the main character, facing the need to grow up. The relationship between Oz and his girlfriend, portrayed by David Jonsson (from Rye Lane, directed by S/W alum Raine Allen-Miller) and Máiréad Tyers, grounds the film. Their chemistry effectively capturing the problems in their relationship and allowing both actors to play with the situation. Tyers, in particular, stands out as she navigates the emotional roller coaster of her character remarkably, simultaneously nailing the comedic, genre and emotional layers of the scene. 

If you want to see an oddly placed puppet on a medical x-ray, or want to keep the fun going for a little while longer, I strongly suggest sticking around until the end of the credits.

Meat Puppet had its World Premiere in the Midnight section at the 2024 edition of SXSW, where it won both a Special Jury Prize and an Audience Award. After a festival run that included general festivals like Edinburgh and Sydney, as well as big genre festivals like Sitges and Fantasia, we’re thrilled to host its Online Premiere on S/W. V is now working on his first feature – which we’re sure will be just as insane as his short film work.