PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Last year, I reviewed the film Don’t Fuck in the Woods (read the review here), and one of my favorite things about the movie was Brittany Blanton, who absolutely kicked ass in the film. Awhile back, I saw on Brittany’s Facebook page that she was writing a short. That short became Breaking Vera, Blanton’s directorial debut. Producer Shawn Burkett recently gave me the opportunity to check out the finished product. Here are my thoughts.
Breaking Vera is the writing and directing debut of indie horror actress Brittany Blanton (Don’t Fuck in the Woods 2016). The film stars Nikki Fioretti (Descending 2017) and Hauke Bahr (Wolf at the Door 2017).
Held captive for years, Vera attempts to keep her sanity while enduring psychological games with her captor.
Breaking Vera follows the story of Vera, a strong, beautiful young woman who has been held captive for years. She cuts herself in the bathroom to deal with all of the psychological pain that has been inflicted on her. This strong woman isn’t the type to sit back and take it though. Vera is a fighter and she has an escape in the works. Will she succeed in her plan? You will have to watch and find out.
Nikki Fioretti is amazing as Vera. She is able to show us how strong yet vulnerable this woman truly is. Yeah, she’s a fighter, but she’s also starting to crumble. Eventually, if you crack too much, you will start to break. Her performance is absolutely heartbreaking. Hauke Bahr plays his role with quiet intensity and explosive bits of rage. He beats and breaks down Vera, telling her it’s all for her own good or out of love, all the while conditioning her to be what he wants. The two play off each other well and manage to, as a team, carry the entire 30 minute short, as they are the only cast. The ending absolutely fucked me up. If someone as strong as Vera can start to break, then what chance does the average person have?
Final Thoughts
Breaking Vera is a short film that shows the lengths that a disturbed individual will go to possess what he wants, and that even the strongest of humanity has their breaking point. The short is anchored by two equally intense performances and features an absolutely heartbreaking ending. If you get the chance, be sure to check out Breaking Vera.
