CPIFF 2025 Short Film Review “Come Out, Wherever You Are” Stealing away from our mistakes and social media’s influence get a conjecture-filled exploration

Author OneFilmFan

First, the Recap:

To disentangle from the world at large. Doesn’t that sound amazing in so many respects? When the chaos within either our own lives or the greater reality we find ourselves buried by, do we not wish to just abscond from it all? Disappear? Disassociate? Ideally, this would be to find peace inwardly and outwardly, at least for a time, so that we might gather our thoughts, consider what steps we take next, and then come back refreshed. However, what would then happen if, upon our return, everything we had known suddenly…..wasn’t?

In a small town called Livingston, Montana, former (and disgraced) politician Verne (Blake de Pastino) desires to do precisely what is needed when news of his past transgressions surface in the news, spreading like wildfire thanks to social media….ESCAPE. Gathering what he needs and heading to a remote cabin in the woodlands outside of town to seek the solace required, Verne has his time of reflection. But, when returning to town, things are NOT all well, and only a young woman named Marion (Marilyn Bass) seems to have answers that they’re BOTH soon wrestling with.

Next, my Mind:

Retreating from our mistakes, confronting our true feelings about them, wishing to be free of it all, and the actualities of a culture being so globally interconnected that said flight from the public eye seems impossible are all elements that make up the core of this 29-minute short film from director/executive producer Caitlin Presberg, writer/producer Dan Burns, along with executive producers Lorraine Diaz, Judy Nygard, Eric Nygard, and Susan Presberg. With the utilization of revealing only hinted-at factors paired with a relatively high amount of enigmatic yet engaging conjecture, the drama/scifi film is certainly the definition of what indie cinema is so adept at, relying on character and story while still managing to find the means to make the approach to a given subject fresh and interesting. Honestly, I felt this effort came across more as of a proof of concept piece in many respects, and perhaps that was intentional or a harbinger of future things to come?

Told primarily from the perspective of one man’s attempts to outrun the suddenly revisited, yet not completely (if at all, really) disclosed, sins of his past as a politician serving one of Chicago’s suburbs and his now subsequent actions to try and get out of public scrutiny in the small Montana town in which he now resides, there’s an initial, necessary, palpable air of tension built up during the film’s first scenes that act as catalysts for everything that follows. The tone takes a slight break once events move to the point where our lead character is doing what he can to decompress and truly process whatever it is that he’s done, lost, and had to leave behind, all while simply wanting a peaceful, albeit isolated life. And it is THIS particular facet of the film where the aforementioned conjecture starts to come into play, as paying attention to little details, whether visually or spoken, becomes imperative to delve into the underlying layers of the narrative.

As we are all more than familiar with, the world is now digitally united (of course for both good AND ill) thanks to cell phones, laptops, and all other devices that permit us to KNOW what is happening virtually everywhere, at any time, and it FEELS like, with anyone. This applicability to those IN the public eye…ie: celebrities, politicians, et al…when things go WRONG for them makes this reality of exposure even more evident and pronounced, and it is this central fact that also ends up forming a major part of this film’s gist. But again, the magic of it is that it ISN’T blatantly conspicuous, requiring that we as the viewer truly stay tuned in to what we are watching and therefore putting pieces together AS we go. While this may be what we do with any film, I felt it is more significant to be doing so here, as even when we become aware of what SEEMS to have occurred, there’s more to it than JUST the surface.

Hence the very notion of how Verne is trying to get away from his indiscretions takes on whole new meaning when the events ,which we never actually see happen directly (though, again, there IS at least a HINT at something being amiss in a certain form), could be construed as both a blessing and a curse for him. By the finale, we are left with at least a small degree of newly acquired comprehension of what has become of the world, yet still not fully enough to be TOTALLY satisfied, and that is also what this critic feels was a beautiful stroke and intelligent writing, given we almost always WANT definitive closure, but here aren’t granted it. It’s a nice touch, intelligently written, and lends the concept of a feature film or at least another short film follow up potentially, should that be something Presberg & Co. wish or desire to provide. Regardless, it’s the statement about our technologically reliant lives that cleverly takes center stage in multiple ways.

Blake de Pastino lends that “everyman” aura which absolutely befits the character he portrays here through the role of Verne, a former Chicago-based politician who had an apparent fall from the top that we believe lost him more than just his career. Now residing in a small, out of the way Montana town, his solace gets unceremoniously interrupted when news of his errant decisions has resurfaced, made worse by the fact social media’s reach is so wide and effectively unavoidable. Looking to once more flee from the unnerving nature of this unwanted attention, Verne gathers things and heads out to his remote cabin to compose himself and face his demons. But, once this venture has run its course, his return to the town ends up being anything but normal, with only one interaction with another human being that provides any sense of what happened while he was away.

Given his circumstances, will this revelation actually be what he will highly benefit from? Or will it also be the start of a new type of victimization for him to confront? It’s a nicely delivered performance that de Pastino gives, down-to-earth, relatable, and making the character one we might both root for AND against, depending on how things turn out. Primary supporting roles come first from Bass as Marion, a young woman Verne runs into on the road going out of the now-vacant town who has her own tale to tell of what precisely has unfolded since Verne has had no means to be aware of the outside world while at his cabin. The air of mistrust is evident for Bass, who is reluctant at first to share or truly interact with Verne until he convinces her he can be trusted. I love the enigmatic mood that Bass elicits through Marion’s character, only advising certain details without feeling like EVERYTHING was divulged.

It makes Marion someone we WANT to trust, yet aren’t one hundred percent sure about, as sometimes innocence can just be a veil for something else lying underneath. It’s a perfect performance to create that sense of quiet unease and questionable certainty about Marion, which Bass plays up adeptly well and with total credibility. Amber Rose Mason is Marge, the owner of a local cafe in the town of Livingston whose known Verne as a regular for a while, but who then becomes the bearer of bad news on the particular morning visit to her establishment Verne always does. Douglas ‘Hurricane’ Hall is Pete, the owner of the town’s gas station/convenience store who is also quite familiar with Verne, even as he comes in to buy supplies for his time away, which concerns Pete to no end, even offering to check in, but Verne resists.

An additional supporting turn is made via voice only by Melanie McNulty. So, in total, “Come Out, Wherever You Are” is an interesting study in our current cultural climate when it comes to mistakes being aired out in such overtly far-reaching ways via social media, but then also how any encompassing interruption of that can spell both salvation and subjugation when it comes to our poor decisions having been disclosed for the world to judge. Is reliance on such wide-reaching technology spelling doom or release? THAT is what we must determine and wonder about….and therefore try and surmise what our next chapter might be like in its absence.

STAR RATING (4 OUT OF 5):

CPIFF 2025 Indie Film Review “Justice Devil” A tale of tragic loss, bitter revenge, and the weight of conscious

Author OneFilmFan

NO TRAILER CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

First, the Recap:

What really are the burdens of our choices? Do we take from granted that the places that life takes us will always be to our benefit? Or, do we sometimes find that choosing a certain path out of innocent intent can end up exposing us to elements we’d much rather have avoided? Indeed, if the latter becomes the case, are we willing to maintain holding on to what we first desired in it, even at the cost of our own basic ease, or face the more dire results of trusting in that which is inherently evil?

A young woman named Ellen (Ris Low Yi Min) had what she believed was a match made in Heaven in having met the enigmatic and charismatic Ben (Kai White). But, what she hadn’t counted on was his association with an unscrupulous and violent gang lead by Andrew Wong (Michael Chua) and his crew of Max (Ernest Seah), James (Daniel Chen), former best friend Goh (Rio Taylor), and newest recruit George (Jullius Eddy). Trying to escape them when things go south, a terrible price is paid by Ellen’s daughter Mikka, sending a grieving, angry mother on a path of harsh revenge.

Next, my Mind:

There is a highly distinctive styling and overall execution when it comes to the crime thrillers from Southeast Asia, very much setting them apart from so many of the Western world’s standard offerings in the genre. This critic freely and honestly admits not being overtly familiar with all the classic films of this area, nor claim to be ANY form of “expert” in this particular region’s filmmaking efforts. But, that is precisely why the opportunity to take in this new indie feature film project from Singapore-based writer/director/composer Harva Raj, producer Sennivalavan, and associate producer Bardroll Hisyam was so unique and filled with a fresh excitement to see what it’s all about. What we are given by this young, first-time filmmaker is a well-fashioned, raw, taut, unflinching journey into the black heart of the evil that exists in the world being confronted by, and dealt with, through the eyes of unbearable pain, crushing loss, simmering retribution, incontrovertible justice, and the foundational desire to stand against that which seeks to do nothing but push you down and manipulate you for its own gains…no matter the cost.

Suffice it to say, this isn’t some quiet, soothing walk in the park, folks. Through the narrative that sees the turbulent and devastating circumstances that force a young woman to take the path of vigilanteism to quell the hurt she’s endured on a multitude of levels, the film’s utilization of flashback and present day sequences adeptly helps to flesh out the entire tale, but do so in a manner which KEEPS you watching in order to truly find out ALL of what’s transpired and why. With a visual look that maintains a relatively uncomplicated aesthetic in order to focus on the story in play, what stands out here is the music score that truly acts AS a storyteller in itself, using the fluctuating rhythms and tones to amplify the settings and events that are occurring throughout the film. This also allows for the film to communicate its intent without constant dialogue, the notes “speaking” for the characters and what’s unfolding before us as the viewer. Don’t get me wrong, there IS still plenty OF spoken parts to fill us in, but it remains almost equal to the amount of music that is used to draw us along and hence FEEL the sea of volatile emotions that are conveyed.

Additionally, the sheer visceral impact of the violence here actually gets what I felt was an interesting treatment in that we don’t always directly see what happens in given moments, rather glimpses or quickly passing frames that make you comprehend it, but not necessarily have to WITNESS it in its fullness. I feel this works quite effectively, and again, there is plenty of indicators of what HAS come about when seeing the aftermath of it. I will only say that there ARE lighter moments in this effort, but will refrain from expanding on it for the sake of saying SEE THE FILM when it is available to do so. Thematically, the depth of love that is motherhood, the merciless nature of criminality, cycles of violence and the cost it engenders, conflicts of conscious when really facing actions you’ve taken that aren’t what you wished they had to be, the ugly “politics” of money, power, and fear in the scope of illegal endeavors, seeking faith to justify our decisions…or attempt to find absolution, and being a product of our surroundings all find their way into this narrative, and appropriately so.

What might be the most unsettling about all of this is the fact that when we look at our current world and the state of being that it’s in, there’s the hard reality that violence, self-serving attitudes, the use of anger and menace to achieve “goals”, and the disheartening consequences innocent people DO end up experiencing really makes for the societal statements the film does put forth all the more potent in their verity. But, OVERCOMING what tries to come against us, showcasing the willingness to NOT just “lay down and die” when things seem unrelenting and unconquerable ultimately becomes the primary gist, and the finale of the film assuredly makes this point more than adequately, unavoidably emphatically really! Ris Low Yi Min is a completely believable and affecting portrait of all-consuming grief, rage, and deadly determination through her role here as Ellen, a woman who’s more than driven to complete the mission of vengeance she’s on in the wake of unimaginable loss.

Encountering the weight of her own choices, some completely innocent in initial nature, as she pushes to get her own idea of reparations from those who took from her all that she loved, Ellen’s path will prove to be an exercise in what the real ramifications are for pursuing it all in the manner she is. She’s a character you, of course, more than can’t help but root for, empathy for her inward and outward strife unquestionably strong. Yi Min’s performance just oozes with energy and intentionality that befits the character of Ellen solidly. Chua arrives as crime boss Andrew Wong, the leader of the gang whose dissatisfaction with Ellen goes to extremes..and to their own detriment. Chua certainly plays the character well so as to elicit that “person we love to hate” mentality when watching him depict a vile man. Seah is likewise the epitome of intimidation and pure maliciousness through his performance as Max, Wong’s second hand and utterly corrupt soul whose penchant for violence might only be matched by his quest for more power and dominance. It’s again one of those characters you just revile, a total credit to Seah’s intensity and acting here.

Chen is James, the brains of the operation who still can more than hold his own should trouble come calling…unless perhaps it’s in the form of Ellen! Taylor is Goh, a now-former best friend of Ellen’s who may or may not have done his own damage to get her in trouble with the gang, inadvertently or not. Eddy is George, the gang’s youngest and newest member who makes the most fatal decision which leads to Ellen’s road to equally fatal retaliation. White appears as Ben, a man who will become both a blessing and a bane to Ellen’s actuality. Additional supporting turns arrive from Lerynn Eng as Mikka, Ellen’s daughter whose the real catalyst of the events, Danny Teo Yong Song as a local pastor Ellen knows who tries his best to make her think about faith in times of hurting, and Samantha Chong is Hellen, a friend of Ellen’s and Goh’s fiancé. Other appearances are made by Tony Lim, Aaron Tan, Lyon Sim.

So, in total, “Justice Devil” is a striking first effort, unwavering, uncompromising, unrelenting, and steadfast in its purpose to illustrate, at its core, good prevailing over evil, though not always without the sacrifice of spirit, mind, and soul, even when the motives in itself seem unequivocally merited. Plainly, when it does come down to it, violence is NEVER the true answer to any problem. Real justice is right, needed, and far too often not achieved. May we strive to always take a higher path and hope that those responsible for heinous acts will get what’s coming, but in ways that don’t cost US who we are.

STAR RATING (4 OUT OF 5):