At the heart of the story is an LGBTQ+ female soldier and her partner. The soldier becomes suspicious of a bus passenger, forcing her to choose between the other passengers’ lives and a potentially innocent man, with the world watching via passengers’ live-streams.
What sets PERSPECTIVES apart is its refusal to take sides in the political divide, instead challenging us to examine the influence of our own biased perspectives when forming opinions about the characters. This bold approach earned the film the top prize and the best screenplay award at the 39th St Kilda Film Festival, qualifying it for the 2024 live action short Academy Award.
Writer and director Neer Musa Shelter brings a unique and global perspective to his storytelling, drawing from his multicultural life experiences that include growing up on cargo ships worldwide and serving in the military. His impressive body of work includes feature and pilot specs that have received accolades such a Final Draft Big Break award, an International Page Gold Award, and an AWG Monte Miller Award.
Behind the scenes, producer Kristen Hodges, an industry veteran with a track record of bringing projects from concept to script to production, has been instrumental in realizing Shelter’s vision.
The stunning cinematography of PERSPECTIVES, brought to life by Itay Goldstein, adds another layer of depth. Goldstein’s approach involves blending cinematic compositions with handheld techniques, creating a visual experience that mirrors the theme of blurred lines between fact and fiction.
The film’s unique style employs cinema cameras to represent fiction and found-footage cameras to represent fact, emphasizing how closely they resemble each other, particularly online. Editing, skilfully handled by Danielle Boesenberg, seamlessly combines footage from these different cameras while immersing the audience in the story.
Neer and his talented team have crafted a film that challenges our preconceived notions and reminds us of the impact our perspectives can have on the world. As they eagerly await the 2024 Oscars shortlist announcement, one thing is certain: PERSPECTIVES is a short film that will leave a lasting impression.
