Title – Saudade (2017)

Director – Kemal Yildirim (Shades of a Killer)

Cast – Holly-Rose Durham, Kemal Yildirim, Sean Botha

Plot – In the aftermath of a relationship breakup, Alice (Durham) finds herself in a precarious mental state as she tries to deal with past memories and move forward with her future.

“Whatever we are, I still remember the way we where”

Review by Eddie on 22/03/2018

Not exactly a happy/feel good 20 minute ride, promising director Kemal Yildirim’s latest effort behind the camera is an impressively shot and constructed short film that showcases a knack for the filmmaker as an all-rounder behind and in front of the camera.

Telling the story of Holly-Rose Durham’s Alice, a woman whose life and mental state is fracturing around her after a topsy-survey relationship with Yildirim’s Tris, Saudade is a brief glimpse into the crumbling psyche of a broken mind, one trying to fight their way through despite the worst enemy being themselves.

Saudade, which refers to a feeling of longing, melancholy or nostalgia, is certainly not an easy watch thanks to its subject matter but Yildirim’s handling of the film is impressive, with a number of well-shot scenes combining with strong edits helping create a well-crafted and assured short film that features a great central turn from Holly-Rose Durham.

A relative newcomer, Durham is in almost every scene of Saudade and despite the fact she doesn’t have to say a lot, her ability to craft emotion and deliver a raw and uncompromising performance in a relatively short period of time would suggest that the budding actress could have a very promising career in front of the camera should she choose to pursue the acting pathway.

Final Say –

With fine work from its director and Durham’s committed central turn, Saudade is a solid short film with a particularly memorable finale and while it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, Saudade is a worthy watch for short film fans around the world.

3 garden statues out of 5

For more information on Saudade visit –

http://www.kemikalfilms.com/