The Milky Way

Short films, generally speaking, tend to be made by young directors cutting their teeth and experimenting with camerawork before going on to longer running projects. Now and again, however, an established director takes a step back from the world of features to craft something small. Such is the case with this cleverly constructed short from Nouvelle Vague director Luc Moullet, who has been dipping in and out of the world of short film for decades.

Here he mixes high drama with the domestic. The Milky Way begins with a tryst on a hillside, between a father and an artist. It is broken up by the farmer's kids, who, armed to the teeth, chase off the pair. In the first impressive change of pace, the camera pans back to reveal the woman's son - also witness to the shenanigans.

The playful tone continues throughout as the son finds himself tasked with fetching milk from the neighbouring farm - from the philandering farmer's wife. The short journey becomes an epic as the boy drags his heels, all the while facing taunts from his kid sister. Moullet carefully explores the nature of sibling relationships, while still finding time to find an unexpectedly enjoyable pay-off ending that uses techniques more usually associated with horror films. The soundscape is also key, with discordant music and naturalistic sounds combining to give the action a quirky kick. Enjoyable, adventurous and unpredictable.