Céline Roustan
Fabi’s family has a unique tradition: they celebrate their first scars, the wound turning into a badge of honor that signifies belonging. At 12 years old, according to his family, Fabi is way overdue for his first scar. With Crust, writer/director Jens Kevin Georg creates an incredibly creative and effective metaphor for the very universal feeling of being torn between the desire to belong and the need to be true to ourselves.
“I wanted to start a dialog with this boy who is ready to shed a part of himself”
Georg recalls a childhood accident when discussing the inspiration for the film: “When I was 13, I went ice skating with one of my best friends. (..) And he kicked my leg with the blade of his skate”. Reflecting on the event, he explained that it was actually his “cold and stoic” reaction to this “bloody incident” – a response that some might perceive as “manly” – that with hindsight made him wonder if in that instant he lost being “more in touch with himself. With Crust, Georg was looking “to start a dialog with this boy who is ready to shed a part of himself”.
Is there anything more universally relatable than the struggle to balance who we truly are with who we have to be to fit in, and the compromises we make by hiding or relinquishing parts of ourselves? Crust is the quintessential coming-of-age story, yet thanks to that ice skating trauma, Georg found a way to cleverly tackle the topic with a fresh perspective, built on an almost absurd yet highly effective premise. The film’s playful concept invites its audience to project what they want on the main protagonist, making it emotionally powerful. At its core, this is a story about an outsider – feeling lonely and trying to be understood, without changing who he is. After all the ups and downs of Fabi’s afternoon, I found that Georg’s choice of how to wrap the film not only matches the unique tone of the film, it also ends it on a very light and hopeful note.
Philip Kapell’s performance as Fabi is one of the highlights of this impressive short.
Though Crust is undeniably lengthy, you can trust Georg to take you on a wild ride – just like the one in the film. Built around a narrative rich with twists to uphold its runtime, by fleshing out the three other characters in Fabi’s family, they each contribute to our understanding of the film’s young protagonist and his family dynamic. Staying anchored in his perspective is also engaging as he is the character with the most at stake and the most affected by the events.
Since we are in his point of view, the film also reflects his inner conflict tonally, with very sweet and tender moments, contrasted with bloody, violent ones. The tonal shifts are actually really impressive, as they all convey the feelings of the moments with sincerity, raging from absurdity to actual fear. As the audience, we are positioned as outsiders to the family, and so Georg makes sure to immerse us in Fabi’s anxiety and his rejection of the tradition. The work of DP Lasse Frobese, editor Benedikt Strick and sound designer Konrad Woznitzka echoing the fact that throughout the short, he feels like his inner self is under duress.
Sven Hönig (L) and Heinz Wanitschek (Middle) star as Fabi’s father and grandfather.
The whole cast is exceptional, each bringing to life the distinctive characters born from Georg’s vivid imagination. However, Philip Kapell as Fabi is truly incredible. His facial expressions expertly convey the layers of his feelings, beautifully navigating his inner conflict as it changes direction from one moment to the next. Not only does he remain breathtakingly compelling throughout the short’s 26-minute duration, he makes his character immediately touching and endearing. The bond his performance creates with the audience heightens the emotional impact of the final scene, making it all the more powerful.
Ahead of its online debut Crust had an impressive festival run, earning a few awards along the way at Indy Shorts, Odense, Izmir and Dallas. It also won a 2024 Student Academy Award and is currently FYC in the Best Live Action Short category at the Oscars.