Midlands Review of Lepidopterist
midlandsmovies • October 4, 2021
Lepidopterist
Directed by Sophie Black
2021
Triskelle Pictures
From Triskelle Pictures comes Lepidopterist, a short film written and directed by Sophie Black.
The film opens and we're introduced to a young scientist, Nic Callanan (Charlie Clarke), packing a large box inside a white transit van parked outside a high security level facility.
After a nervous exit past the laboratory gatehouse, our protagonist Nic is well on her way, with the secret cargo in tow, but where?
Lepidopterist, a person who studies or collects butterflies and moths is what we assume Nic Callanan is. Her van is littered with books about Lepidoptera and the opening images, very avant-garde-esque, are of butterflies and insects. We are then surprised with a girl's scream which interrupts the screen and the story (written by Tommy Draper) begins.
An anxious Nic pulls the van over in a discreet lay-by and her record player is on to calm whatever is in the box. To placate here even further, Nic feeds it an odd looking blue stick which is taken gracefully through a small air hole without a sound.
Moments later and we hear a voice via Nic's work hand-held radio, that explains a subject has been stolen from the lab. She's been rumbled! An inevitable situation for sure but one she thought was coming much later.
I don't want to go into too much detail regarding the reveal of what is inside the box, as its beauty is partly owed to the mystique surrounding it.
Much like the beautiful end credits, this is a stunning film, aesthetically and allegorically Lepidopterist explores man's connection with nature. After viewing the film I was reminded of Guillermo Del Toro's The Shape of Water and the tender way it dealt with a tragic relationship between two different species.
Surprisingly Lepidopterist was shot in 48 hours for the Sci-Fi London 48hr Film Challenge. The skill involved to make a short film of this quality in such a brief time is staggering, a massive compliment to the cast and crew's ability and talent.
Will Price, the films director of photography, adds colour and vibrancy to the screen whilst the music by Joni Fuller also creates a brilliant, melancholic score to accompany the image.
Sophie Black has created something truly remarkable in Lepidopterist, a film which deserves repeat viewings so you can admire the beautiful story again and again.
Guy Russell
Twitter @budguyer
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