Written and directed by Vasili Manikas, a schoolyard prank gone wrong sends the naïve Elliot on a desperate quest to make sense of his mortality. Starring: Charlie Zeltzer, Callum Shoniker, Emily Watt, Henry Stockhaus, Devon MacDonald, Luke Dietz, Jacob Mazeral and Matias Tafilica.
There’s something so devilishly satisfying about a film led by kids which has a dark sense of humour and Vasili Manikas cashes in on that with Cancer Kid. It’s a particular kind of black comedy, cleverly crafted to still perfectly fit that youthful setting and hold onto a light-heartedness, while threading in those darker notes. The gullibility and naivety of children will forever be a fun plot point, it can lead to all sorts of wild consequences and misadventures, and this is another great example. Part of why it works so well is not simply the strength of its comedy but because Manikas manages to bring through an unexpected sincerity.
Undoubtedly, the writing does help with that, but it’s elevated by the quality to the direction, cinematography from Spencer Gray and score from Peter Bedford. There’s a sharp aesthetic and a lot of the camera movement and shot choices feel pulled from other genres, particularly horror. The opening scene in particular has these terrific ominous notes, the filmmakers make a genuine effort to tell you the story of Cancer Kid from Elliot’s (Charlie Zeltzer) perspective. Meaning that they take his panic seriously, while making it comedic, which is such a clever balance that makes a world of difference. It doesn’t become silly, melodramatic or childish, it strikes the perfect balance of sympathising with him while recognising the hilarity of the situation.
Of course, another big part of that is the performance from Charlie Zeltzer who is simply terrific. He gives you everything you could possibly want, he’s adorable, entertaining and his timing and delivery are excellent, as is the entire cast’s. Timing is another really strong element of the punchy quality to Cancer Kid, there’s a lot of great, backhanded touches which take you off-guard, even a casual “bummer” becomes such a well written line.
Cancer Kid is hilarious, surprisingly touching and excellently made. There are so many smart choices from Vasili Manikas to perfectly deliver the comedy while building a genuine heart to the film. Adding in that touch of darkness is incredibly satisfying, and evolving the camerawork from comedy, and taking from other genres to elevate the story was a fantastic choice. The cast are superb and Charlie Zeltzer gives a stunner of a leading performance, for his young age to get the tone that dead on is impressive. It’s a very funny, brilliantly put together short.
