“Actual People” is a new narrative film that had its North American premiere at the 2022 Slamdance Film Festival. Director and screenwriter, Kit Zauhar, tells the story of Riley, a college student, who is about to graduate and hasn’t a clue where the world will take her. The film focuses on Riley, while also exploring other characters and how they pertain to her life. 

Following an Unknown Path

The film followed Riley, played by the writer and director (Kit Zauhar) as she faced internal struggles, failed classes, romantic encounters, getting kicked out of her apartment, family confrontations and finding acceptance. In her last couple weeks of college, she finds out that she cannot graduate because of a failed class credit, leaving her already vulnerable self in a more emotionally compromised state. She had friends that we met throughout the movie, however, I could tell that she was lost and unable to communicate what she was feeling with them. I thought that the writing for “Actual People” was honest and real and allowed for the story to be told in a way that both resonated with viewers and told the story of Riley who was her own well-developed character. 

Are We the Camera?

The camera work in this narrative film was interesting because it was almost filmed documentary style, with a shaky camera following the characters and many up-close shots. The style of filming caused me to feel as though I was inside the film — and was more effective in some moments than others.

In a scene at the start of the film where Riley is in bed with the guy she becomes infatuated by, the cinematography was still using this shaky technique. It felt odd, almost like the viewer of the film was in this intimate moment between the characters — in the room with them. However, this filming method really suited other scenes that were also intimate but in a different way.

The Emotional Dam Breaks

Something that stood out to me in this film, that was truly captured in a beautiful way, was Riley’s breakdown at her family kitchen table. Everything had been piling up throughout the film and the tipping point was reached in a safe environment — her home, with her parents by her side. I thought this was a brilliant way to approach this moment that was bound to occur for the lead, because it created a breakage of the dam that she’d been keeping up, making her a closed-off character for the majority of the film. The way the cinematography worked in this scene was perfect — the shaky camera contributed to her emotional state. The writing in the scene as well as the direction allowed for the moment of her breakdown to encapsulate energy that was still and calm. It was meant to be a moment of messiness, but what was done beautifully was how the character appeared messy, but the impact the scene had on me, the viewer, was like seeing the sea calm after a storm. The whole movie was the buildup to this and it felt like the storm that was taking place and the tipping point was the acceptance of where she was at that moment.

“Actual People” had some really strong moments, such as those between Riley and her parents throughout the course of the film. I believe that the film could find ways to tell some of the in-between moments, such as interactions between Riley and her friends or teachers, in more compelling ways so they don’t feel plateaued in comparison to the stronger moments of the film.

I was impressed that Zauhar told the story through directing, acting and writing and am intrigued to see where this film goes and how it may continue to develop.

[email protected]

@KedemLee