The Fantasia International Film Festival has always been one of my favorite fests, and I’m grateful that they chose to do it digitally this year due to the pandemic. As always, they’ve delivered top quality shorts and features that horror fans will love. I was lucky enough to check out their sci-fi comedy short, You Wouldn’t Understand.
You Wouldn’t Understand premiered at Fantasia 2020 on Friday, August 21st. It’s from Director Trish Harnetiaux (You Should Be A Better Friend 2012) and co-written by herself and Jacob A. Ware (Boardwalk Empire TV series).Ware also stars in the film alongside Anthony Arkin (The Americans TV series). The short centers around a man’s idyllic picnic that is upended after the arrival of a stranger.
This was a fantastic short. It reminded me of something out of The Twilight Zone. It starts out very normal. An older gentleman is enjoying a beautiful sunny day and indulging in a delicious picnic by himself when, all of a sudden, his world turns upside down. You know something weird is about to happen, but you don’t know what or why. It’s crazy and leaves you thinking … what the hell? It makes you wonder why this is all happening, and how long it’s been happening.
The acting was great from both Jacob A. Ware and Anthony Arkin. They had great onscreen chemistry and played well off each other. The special effects were simple but effective. They fit perfectly for this sci-fi comedy. I loved the futuristic looking gun. It reminded me of a handheld thermometer, but a deadly one.
Final Thoughts
If you love sci-fi stories with mystery, comedy, and suspense … You Wouldn’t Understand will be right up your alley. I highly recommend giving it a chance, as well as everything else from Fantasia 2020!