An anthology series of three short films, each told in three shots, written and directed by Andrew J. Etheridge, who also stars in two of them. Indescribable Feelings, Wolves in the Wilderness and Apple and Cinnamon, also starring Rose Eshay, Mariannjely Marval and Francisco Manon.
One of the most interesting things about Triptych Vol. 1 is that you can both see the thread of style between all three shorts and how they each feel individual. Andrew J. Etheridge’s style is consistent across the trio but the impact of that three shot set-up is different for each short. A lot of which has to do with the differing tones, starting with Indescribable Feelings which is rooted in tension and stress, while Wolves in the Wilderness has a violence, anger and pride, and Apple and Cinnamon has a sweetness and romance. Each tone is established quickly and allows the short films to then use a similar style in very different ways, even if in the most literal sense they are extremely similar.
The writing of each short also does a great job of never needing a great amount of detail, it gives itself the confidence to imply a lot, without needing to say much. Again, it’s something that they each have but use in different ways, the fact that none of them feel vague or simple is strongly to Etheridge’s credit. Even more so that he’s also creating those qualities in his performances in Wolves in the Wilderness and Apple and Cinnamon, particularly the latter. His chemistry with Rose Eshay has the classic feel of will they, won’t they but at the same time it could just be a lovely friendship. It has that openness and generosity that it doesn’t need to be labelled or quantified. Mariannjely Marval’s performance is impressively in line with the style of the short, saying a lot with her body language and facial expression, without truly knowing her character’s situation.
Another element that differentiates the films is their cinematography, starting with a sombre feel with Indescribable Feelings. Then switching things up massively with a touch of gangster meets Sin City in Wolves in the Wilderness, before hitting a huge wave of nostalgia with Apple and Cinnamon. There’s also a great use of framing, particularly in Wolves in the Wilderness which relies a lot on obscure shots and works well. As well as using sound to its advantage, which stands out strongest with Indescribable Feelings, leaning into ambient sound to reflect the stress and complicated nature of its character’s dilemma.
Triptych Vol. 1 displays a trio of different ways to use simple and effective style. To scale back on budget, location and complex set-up but still deliver memorable stories. Andrew J. Etheridge does a great job of creating an anthology that has both individuality and consistency. Each short has its own strong tone, evoking different feelings and atmospheres, creating an anthology that manages to flow well without ever needing to give its shorts too much in common.
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