The After is a 2023 British short film directed by Misan Harriman in his directorial debut and written by John Julius Schwabach from a story by Harriman. The film starring David Oyelowo and Jessica Plummer, tells the story of Dayo, a grieving rideshare driver who, after losing family members to a violent crime, picks up a passenger who helps him confront the past.[1]
| The After | |
|---|---|
 Official poster | |
| Directed by | Misan Harriman |
| Screenplay by | John Julius Schwabach |
| Story by | Misan Harriman |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Si Bell |
| Edited by | Aggela Despotidou |
| Music by | Francesco Le Metre |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release dates |
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Running time | 18 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The After, winner of Best Live Action Short Film Award at HollyShorts Film Festival, was nominated for the Best Live Action Short Film at the 96th Academy Awards in January 2024.[2][3]
Plot
editDayo, an executive in London, accompanies his young daughter Laura as they head to meet her mother. As he steps aside to take a call, a stabbing attack takes place and his daughter gets killed. Though he manages to restrain the attacker, his wife commits suicide. A timeskip shows that Dayo is now a ride-share driver who doesn't keep in touch with friends or even social workers. He's shown stoically driving various passengers around, with intermissions of his grieving, such as singing "Happy Birthday" to a photograph of his family. At the airport, he picks up a bickering couple and their daughter, who bears a resemblance to his own daughter. As he steps out of the car to carry their baggage, he receives a hug from the daughter. As a response to this, Dayo has a breakdown on the curb and is seen crying as he sits there.
Cast
edit- David Oyelowo as Dayo
- Jessica Plummer as Amanda
- Sule Rimi as Stewart
- Izuka Hoyle as Emily
- Amelie Dokubo as Laura
- Ellen Francis as Rebecca
- Nikesh Patel as Salman
- Tara-Binta Collins as Amy
- Dominique Tipper as Jessica
- Ravi Singh as Krish
- Ruth Sheen as Tabatha
- Alan Williams as Fry
- Dan Griffiths as Bandana Man
Production
editMisan Harriman wrote a story, based on his own idea, which was turned into screenplay by John Julius Schwabach. David Oyelowo joined the cast and production team after viewing some of Harriman's photographs during the Black Lives Matter movement.[1] Nicky Bentham also joined as producer after meeting Harriman.[4]
Release
editThe film premiered at the opening night of the HollyShorts Film Festival on August 10, 2023.[5]
The film was screened at 2023 BFI London Film Festival in 'LFF for Free: Shorts' section under 'Big Little Lives' on October 5, 2023.[6]
Netflix made the film available from October 25, 2023.[7][8]
Original soundtrack
edit| The After | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Francesco Le Metre | |||||
| Released | October 27, 2023[9] | ||||
| Recorded | 2023 | ||||
| Genre | Soundtrack | ||||
| Length | 8:38 | ||||
| Language | English | ||||
| Label | Netflix Music | ||||
| |||||
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Day Out" | Francesco Le Metre | 1:09 |
| 2. | "No More Family" | Francesco Le Metre | 1:45 |
| 3. | "The After" | Francesco Le Metre | 1:44 |
| 4. | "Journeys" | Francesco Le Metre | 0:57 |
| 5. | "Flashbacks" | Francesco Le Metre | 1:29 |
| 6. | "Breakdown" | Francesco Le Metre | 1:34 |
| Total length: | 8:38 | ||
Reception
editJason Knight rated the film 4/5 and praised technical aspects writing, "there are some fantastic establishing shots" and "filmmakers are creative with the sound, during scenes where voices sink in the background." Knight also liked the music and said, "Regarding the soundtrack, Francesco Le Metre develops music that includes sentimental piano melodies." Concluding he wrote, "It is an emotional and hard-hitting drama with superb acting and great character development and it explores psychological deterioration due to the effects of loss and grief."[10]
Riya Singh reviewing for Leisurebyte wrote, "The After is a beautiful yet melancholic story of a man who once had everything and now remains in a world that is making him live on." Concluding she opined, "This is a story that will make you live through a full-length movie in just 18 minutes."[11]
Rupali Manohar Chauhan reviewing for Meaww wrote, "John Julius Schwabach's hard-hitting and impactful writing deserves recognition. Schwabach has crafted a touching and profound screenplay, skillfully pulling the heartstrings of the audience."[12]
Accolades
edit| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HollyShorts Film Festival | August 20, 2023 | Best Live Action Short Film | The After | Won | [13] |
| Astra Film Awards | January 6, 2024 | Best Short Film | Won | [14] | |
| African American Film Critics Awards | January 15, 2024 | Best Short Film | Won | [15] | |
| Academy Awards | March 10, 2024 | Best Live Action Short Film | Nominated | [16][17] | |
| NAACP Image Awards | March 16, 2024 | Outstanding Short Form (Live Action) | Won | [18][19] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Tyler Coates (19 December 2023). "Netflix Short 'The After' Depicts a Shocking Tragedy and a Father's Grief". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Stephanie Simon (24 January 2024). "Short film 'The After' gets nominated for 2024 Oscar Awards". Voice of Nigeria. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "2024 Oscars Nominations: See the Full List". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Prestridge, James PRESTRIDGE (4 October 2023). "Producer Nicky Bentham On The Award-Winning Short Film The After". Close-up Culture. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ Carey, Matthew (21 August 2023). "Oscar-Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival Hands Out Awards; 'We Were Meant To' Claims $60K Prize". Deadline. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Big Little Lives: The After". BFI. 5 October 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Jacob (3 October 2023). "British Short Film The After is Coming to Netflix in October 2023". What's on Netflix. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "United Kingdom Short Film The After is Coming to Netflix on 25 October 2023". Netflix Media Center. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "The After (Original Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) - EP". Apple Music. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Jason Knight (3 October 2023). "The After Film Review". UK Film Review. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Riya Singh (25 October 2023). "The After Review: Suppressed Emotions and a Life That Goes On". Leisurebyte. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "'The After' Review | Misan Harriman's Oscar-nominated short tackles grief with raw emotions". February 2024.
- ^ Pond, Steve (20 August 2023). "'We Were Meant To' Wins Top Award From HollyShorts Film Festival (Exclusive)". The Wrap. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Scott Feinberg (7 January 2024). "Astra Film Awards: 'Barbie' Wins Eight Awards, Including Best Picture". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ Tyler Coates (15 January 2024). "African American Film Critics Awards: 'American Fiction,' 'The Color Purple' and 'Origin' Top Winners". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (23 January 2024). "Oscar Nominations 2024: 'Oppenheimer' Dominates With 13 Nods, 'Poor Things' Follows With 11". Variety. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ González, David (11 March 2024). "The Zone of Interest and Anatomy of a Fall shine bright at the Oscars". Cineuropa. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (25 January 2024). "Colman Domingo, Keke Palmer, Ayo Edebiri, Victoria Monét Lead NAACP Image Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ Jackson, Angelique (14 March 2024). "NAACP Image Awards: Kerry Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathé Set as Presenters, Andra Day to Perform". Variety. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
External links
edit- The After at IMDb
- The After on Netflix
- Official trailer on YouTube
