WORTH WATCHING

Watch: Lonely Robot Short 'This Time Away' Starring Timothy Spall

by Alex Billington
May 25, 2020
Source: YouTube

"You can stay. For now." Make a short film about a robot, and we'll pretty much always feature it. Because everyone loves robots! Especially when they're nice and friendly and helpful. And not mean, no thank you, nice robots only. This Time Away is an excellent sci-fi / robo short film made by London-based filmmaker Magali Barbe that originally premiered at festivals in 2019. It's now available to watch online and I highly recommend giving this a quick 15 minutes of your time to enjoy. The short is about a robot companion who helps brighten up the life of an old man. Nigel is an elderly man living as a recluse, haunted by his past and the memory of the family he once had… until an unexpected visitor arrives and disrupts his lonely routine. Starring Timothy Spall as Nigel, and Jessica Ellerby as Louise. There's a gorgeous score composed by Azel Phara that adds a dash of melancholy to the film, too. This reminds me a lot of Robot & Frank, which has a similar concept at the start (until they begin pulling off a heist with that robot). View the short below.

Thanks to Short of the Week for the tip on this. Original description from YouTube: "Nigel (Timothy Spall) is an elderly man living as a recluse, haunted by his past and memory of the family he once had… until an unexpected visitor arrives and disrupts his lonely routine." This Time Away is directed by up-and-coming filmmaker Magali Barbe based in London - you can see more of her work on Vimeo or her official website; you can also follow her @magalibarbe. Made by Passion Pictures & Fulflood. Featuring cinematography by Gabi Norland, and music composed by Azel Phara. Magali explains her vision - this short is her "attempt to portray the complex relationship between a father & his daughter. The loss of Nigel's wife - Louise's mother - challenges their relationship. He's a man growing old, carrying his sorrow in loneliness and the comfort of nostalgia. She's a young woman who despite her own pain, will eventually choose to move forward…" For more info on the short, visit SOTW or the film's official website. For more shorts, click here. Your thoughts?

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