Seán van Doornum

The short film ‘A Susan Valadon’ by Voy Bach Starring Ella Bruccoleri Original score composed by Seán van Doornum

Feature Documentary Film produced by Alchemy Dream Studio

BRETT WAS A F-CK is used with permission from Keith Rubin and Lauren Sowa. Learn more at https://www.twine.net/signin A police officer named Kendra responds tos a noise complaint at the front gates of a Yale secret society, following up on reports of someone screaming. The door is answered by a reunion of a few of the society’s alumni, who attempt to fob Kendra off. Inside, though, a body lies hidden in the back room. As the officer begins her investigation, the truth is revealed as increasingly complicated, as hidden motivations and agendas collide. Directed by Keith Rubin and Lauren Sowa from a script written by Rubin, this short is a wild ride of an action-comedy, a cocktail of boozy nostalgia, compelling crime mystery, social satire and intriguing suspense. With a knot-like narrative structure that uses its considerable powers of sleight of hand to weave a complex web of reveals together, it teases themes of brotherhood, entitlement and wealth, as well as how loyalty and trust fit into this matrix of power and privilege. The premise starts simply enough, but as the narrative unfurls, it layers in complications, especially as we get to know the characters. There’s a wide array of personalities in the secret society – some arrogantly confident, others nervous and edgy, others sharp and witty – but what they all share is a history, an ethos of social superiority and the sharing of transgressions committed. The ensemble cast – led by actors Taylor Anthony Miller, Charlie McElveen, Danni Vitorino, Keith Rubin and others – played distinctive, unique people, but they are all joined in a code of silence around the things they’ve done, whether it’s the rituals of the secret society or the crimes they committed and covered up. Just what these crimes are forms the mystery at the center of the film, which the police investigation structure leads us into, balancing both clarity and surprise. As we go deeper into the whodunit, the slick, confident visuals become increasingly compressed, dark and claustrophobic, with the academic setting transforming into something dark and weighty. As the plot twists and turns, actor Britne Oldford provides a steady, cool-eyed presence as police officer Kendra, bringing a keen intelligence to her questioning and observations. Calm but steely, she seems to be no match for the toxic powder keg of fraternal solidarity she comes up against. But true to its mystery bona fides, BRETT WAS A F-CK has some tricks up its sleeve, which it takes great glee and pleasure in revealing, fitting the pieces of a jumbled-up puzzle together with a satisfying conclusion. It forms a commentary on belonging, privilege, and the dangerous bonds forged by the willingness to keep wealth and power intact, no matter what. But that underlying desperation also proves to be its undoing, and watching the castle tumble down is one of the chief pleasures of this entertaining, rollicking film.