Strangers At Night

 

Strangers At Night is a neo-noir film that pays tribute to the classic “film noir” while challenging contemporary cultural norms such as gender roles and social dominance.

 

  • Story/Directed by: Mithaq Kazimi
  • Screenplay: Sara Hopman
  • Cast: Matt McGlennen, Leah Elson, Sara Hopman
  • Cinematography: Nathaniel Elegino / Ryan Broomberg
  • Editing: Lan Nguyen
  • Sound Recording: Luke Brown
  • Running Time: aprox. 13 min.
  • Color: B&W
  • Format: Digital Video
  • Language: English
  • Country: USA
  • Year: 2008

 

Director’s statement:

“Strangers At Night,”  is inspired by series of post-WWII American motion pictures known as Film Noir. These films were produced roughly between 1940s to 1950s in the United States while the term Noir was attributed to these films after this period by French filmmakers and critics. The early authors found that the foremost prominent theme within these films were the presence of one or a group of morally ambiguous characters. Although these morally ambiguous characters see their fate at the end based on what they have done, a repetitive theme in these films is the punishment of women for coming out their “place.” These women live within a male-dominated society and use their sexuality to mold and fold men to their own desires and/or plans. It is interesting to note that majority of film noir link women’s immoral behaviors with their sexuality and state that a woman who explores her sexuality is dangerous to society and therefore must be punished. In addition, these films are narrated by males and therefore the females are presented from a male point-of-view. However, “Strangers At Night” deals with a moral battle in the society at large rather than more personal stories in classic noir films.

Another major distinguishing factor of film noir is its visual style – nihilism, claustrophobia, paranoia and despair constitute the world of noir and no other element highlights these better than its style. Classic noir uses non-traditional lighting and camera angles. The lighting is usually used to set the mood for a scene or tell the audience something about the character. In “Strangers At Night” this element plays a prominent role. The film is shot in black and white –in the same color as almost all noir films – and uses light and shadows to convey the inner emotions of the characters.