The Shadow (Short)
**Seen at the 2020 Women in Horror Film Festival**
One of the most distinctive things about Bridget Barbara’s approach to “The Shadow” is the use of light and color. From scene to scene, it seems as though the color scheme changes as the main characters moves from the woods to town, then from town to inside a house, then from downstairs to upstairs to a bedroom. The contributions of cinematographer and colorist Derek Haager are as essential as the writing, the performance and direction of Barbara in accomplishing this film’s sense of of existential dread. The sound and music are the other part of the equation, and they instill within us an unease that is palpable, because it’s reflected on the character’s face. She is silently suffering, unsure of where she can go, and haunted by a shadow. We see bruises on her body- it’s obvious that she has gone through a trauma; she cannot be sure whom to trust. Bridget Barbara’s film is haunting to experience, and it is something we feel we are experiencing. We are given a window into this woman’s mindset, and it’s difficult to shake. I would imagine that, for her, it’s even tougher. The ending is a painful reminder that, for some women, it’s hard to let go of that trauma.
