Start date: unknown
From filming on weekends straight to film festivals
The coronavirus pandemic has brought the lives of many people around the world to a standstill. But the electrician Ryan J. Sloan and the waitress Ariella Mastroianni used this time creatively and realized a film project over several weekends, which they continued to develop further with friends when financing allowed. The result is the thriller “Gazer” – probably one of the most captivating films at the 73rd Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival.
Gazer ©Telstar Films
And that’s what it’s about…
Frankie Rhodes (Ariella Mastroianni) suffers from the rare disease dyschronometry, which affects her perception of time. She lives in Newark, works at a gas station and observes the people around her. To keep her illness under control, she listens to self-recorded cassettes. Her daughter Cynthia (Emma Pearson) has been living with her grandmother Diane (Marianne Goodell) since Frankie’s husband Roger (Grant Schumacher) tragically took his own life. One day Frankie watches a woman being beaten by a man at the window opposite. Shortly afterwards she meets the woman again in a support group, where she introduces herself as Paige (Renee Gagner). Paige makes Frankie an offer: For $3,000, she should steal Paige’s violent ex’s car and park it in a secluded place. A fatal mistake…
When time becomes the enemy…
“How can time heal when you can’t feel it passing?” asks a supporting character during the course of the film, cleverly summing up the unique premise of “Gazer”. In the first scene, Frankie sits lost in thought at her job in a gas station, listening to a tape recorder giving herself instructions and observing the people around her. From the very beginning, the audience is given an engaging insight into her thoughts and perspective, as well as the rare illness she suffers from. Observing people and fantasizing about their lives and identities is something that many can identify with, even without dyschronometry – which makes it easier to access the main character Frankie. A crucial factor because, despite the different locations, “Gazer” feels very restricted because we follow Frankie almost exclusively – perfectly embodied by Ariella Mastroianni, who contributes significantly to the intense impact of the film with her strong charisma and multi-faceted performance. Frankie is a gentle, almost fragile character who still exudes a certain strength and assertiveness, especially in her relationship with her daughter.
Gazer ©Telstar Films
Director Ryan J. Sloan trusts his audience to think for themselves and doesn’t hand answers on a silver platter. Instead, we always remain at the same level of knowledge as the main character Frankie, who becomes increasingly entangled in a web of manipulation and lies. In already nerve-wracking situations, her illness repeatedly comes to the fore, like a dark shadow hovering over the events. What if she is struck by a seizure at that exact moment? This question always raises the tension. The film actually didn’t need the horror elements that appear especially in Frankie’s surreal memories and dreams – but you still don’t want to miss them thanks to the loving allusions to Cronenberg. “Gazer” is a passion project through and through, and you can feel that in every shot. A small indie production that director Ryan J. Sloan put together over a period of two and a half years on weekends and with the help of friends. It is all the more impressive that Sloan and Mastroianni have created such a captivating work with so few resources. In a world where digital effects dominate, Sloan shot his film on 16mm and accompanied it with a soundtrack that hovers somewhere between “Insidious” and “Twin Peaks” – you can definitely feel the love of cinema here.
Gazer ©Telstar Films
Conclusion
“Gazer” may seem small and reserved, but the emotional depth and dense atmosphere that Sloan and his team have created leave a lasting impression. The interplay of imagery, music and Mastroianni’s performance creates an almost hypnotic atmosphere that you can’t get out of your head even long after the credits roll.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
What did you think of “Gazer”?
