Watch This Film Thrice
| Watch This Film Thrice | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Maki Toyama (戸山 真紀)[a] |
| Story by | Maki Toyama (戸山 真紀)[a] Toby Clarkeson |
| Produced by | Toby Clarkeson |
| Starring | Doran Watts Barbra Saddler Anthony Sawyer Daniel Parsons |
| Cinematography | Jordan Ward |
| Edited by | Quincy Potter Alice Gearing Ellie Oakley |
| Music by | Roy Reed |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Novellan National Media Directorate |
Release date | 16 August 2024 |
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country |  Novella Islands |
| Language | English[b] |
| Budget | ₦6.2 billion |
Summary[edit | edit source]
Set at Albion Manor in the winter of 1875, as an undercurrent of revolution brews amongst the Novellan working-class, Sydney's elite are hosted at a opulent dinner party by Lady Peel herself. Charmed by the lavish trimmings of the evening, the gathering is scarcely prepared for the revelation of the house's steward looming over the lifeless body of Lord Peel, bloodied knife in hand... Even less so, when two other corpses are reported in quick succession. Evidently the machinations of a deranged, serial-killing psychopath, the fortuitously-present Inspector Hall advances to arrest Wilson post-haste. The servant protests; while admitting forthright to the murder of his lord and master, the other two killings were wholly unrelated, he alleges.
From this establishing prologue, Watch This Film Thrice's novelty takes hold, as the investigation unfolds. True to its title, the audience is encouraged first to watch the film without sound, using only those clues that are shown on the screen in order to derive their suspect for who the killer may be. Upon a second viewing - suggested to be no sooner than a week from the first, in order to "allow the mind to simmer, come up with theories, and become altogether a forgetful and unreliable witness", according to the director - it is recommended to watch blind, with only the film's score and diegetic sound providing clues, the audience desperately trying to place them in the context of their fading memory of their first viewing. To conclude, a third and final viewing with both sight and sound allows the pieces of the puzzle to come together in their full context.
The triple-faceted investigation that ensues across Watch This Film Thrice's three viewings weaves a tale of ambition, betrayal, and class struggle, all resonating within the historical backdrop of social unrest. Inspector Hall finds himself plunged into the competing narratives presented by Wilson, Lady Peel and the other guests, each of whom harbours their own secrets and motives, and is tasked with finding the ultimate truth. As the lives of those within Albion Manor are deconstructed and scrutinised in a disorganised and piecemeal manner - a blatant metaphor for the societal upheavals of the era - it is only within the last moments that the full picture is revealed.
IDU Film Festival 2024 Nomination[edit | edit source]
The film was nominated for Best Film for its "execution of its elaborately premise, by which three separate stories are able to be shown in a manner that is both engaging to the viewer individually, and intellectually stimulating as a puzzle together".[1] Of note are "the great lengths that were taken in order to accommodate those with visual and auditory disabilities; dedicated audio-description and subtitled versions of the film were extensively tested, in order to ensure that the film's premise could be enjoyed by all".
The film was nominated for Best Costume Design for its "depiction of the fascinating fashion trends among the upper classes, during the period immediately preceding the 1877 Revolution".[1] "Ostentatious and gaudish to extremes never since replicated", the costume design "is a perfect counterpoint to the themes of rebellion emphasised throughout the film".
Anthony Sawyer was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Percival Wilson, and in particular, "the delivery of his monologue during the opening act of the film, caught soaked in the blood of Lord Peel, readily evok[ing] the revolutionaries of 1877".[1]