• Home
  • About Us
  • Submit Article
  • Write for Us
  • Contact Us
Indie Shorts Mag
  • Home
  • Premieres
  • Interviews
  • Marketing
  • News
    • Film Festival News
    • Short Film News
  • Reviews
    • Short Film
    • Documentary
    • Web Series
  • Tutorials
    • Pre-Production
    • Post-Production
  • Submit Short Film
No Result
View All Result
Indie Shorts Mag
  • Home
  • Premieres
  • Interviews
  • Marketing
  • News
    • Film Festival News
    • Short Film News
  • Reviews
    • Short Film
    • Documentary
    • Web Series
  • Tutorials
    • Pre-Production
    • Post-Production
  • Submit Short Film
No Result
View All Result
Indie Shorts Mag
No Result
View All Result

Something To Live For: Story That Keeps Its Characters’ Humanity Intact

Sristi Gayen by Sristi Gayen
13 Oct 2019
in Reviews
0
Something to Live For - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag

16-year-old Nabila sneaks out of her home. It’s dark and the air feels thick, cautious even. The lovers meet and exchange promises and hopes for a brighter future. Abed (Adam Haloon) and Nabila (Anuar Jour), both Palestinians are prepared for whatever it takes to build a home together. A bracelet is exchanged to solemnize their moments in the dead of the night. Cut to a now heavily pregnant Nabila, who at 22 years of age, is walking along the forlorn streets of Jenin. Her demeanour purposeful, but the youthful hope long lost.

Director/Writer Adva Reichman’s ‘Something To Live For’ (18:11 minutes) follows Nabila from being an amorous adolescent to a determined woman, who, through the vagaries of life that she weathered, comes to realize the true price of sacrifice. Abed is long gone. She is pregnant with their baby. His life seems worth avenging to Nabila. The sentiments, however, aren’t shared by her mother who believes her daughter need not follow the same path, that love need not require one to follow the other unto death. Nabila though, remains determined.

Something to Live For - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag

Her Hamas operator Rafik (Mozart Kteilat) prepares her for any scenario. However, as 8-month pregnant Nabila trains using a knife, questions start to creep up in her mind. When her son is prematurely born, the nagging doubts become compelling questions. Avenging her dead husband as opposed to being there for her son remains the dilemma for Nabila, but she is spared no room to wriggle out. Rafik makes it clear that her family will pay the price for her backing out. With no choice left at hand, Nabila makes the defining journey to Tel Aviv with her identification papers and the suicide vest. Her newborn in her arms.

Reichman’s ‘Something To Live For’ is befitting today’s times. It lingers along with the misinterpreted concepts of Jihad and poignant life lessons such as sacrifice and vengeance. To Nabila, motherhood gives her a new lease and then when it comes to choosing between the world and a world for her son, the religion, her husband’s epitaph, her own resolute decisions begin to waver. Without giving away any spoilers, the film is semi-predictable and yet it’s far more chilling than one would expect.

As Nami Melumad’s composition lingers throughout, the final scene closes with a solemn vow, a prayer, a final bid to the world that didn’t give Nabila what she wanted but left her with a hope that it is quite not lost for her son yet.

Something to Live For - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag
#ShortFilmReview: 'Something To Live For': Faith can be trying… Click To Tweet
Something To Live For: Story That Keeps Its Characters’ Humanity Intact
4.3 / 5 Stars
Direction
Cinematography
Screenplay
Editing
Music
Tags: ReviewShort Film Reviews
Previous Post

Connie + Consuelo: Seeking Second Chances At 80

Next Post

‘Going Up’ Takes You On A Ride That Is Equal Parts Tense & Comic

Sristi Gayen

Sristi Gayen

Related Posts

Zoo - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag
Reviews

Zoo: Expertly Challenged Power Dynamics In A World Of Unequals

5th March 2021
Panic In Valley City - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag
Reviews

Panic In Valley City: Healthy Banter Saves The Day

5th March 2021
Next Post
Going Up - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag

'Going Up' Takes You On A Ride That Is Equal Parts Tense & Comic

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

From Editor’s Desk

Editor’s Picks: 2020’s Flashback In One Go!

Editor’s Picks: 2020’s Flashback In One Go!

Sponsored

  • Recent Reviews
Facebook Twitter Instagram

About Indie Shorts Mag

Indie Shorts Mag is a publishing agency that works within the ‘short film circuit’. We review short films, documentaries, music videos and web series, amongst others. We stand out amongst the short film review sites for being multi-diverse & global in our platform and reach.
Our team works tirelessly to help promote, publicize and market your short films that deserve the shout-out! Besides reviews, we host film festival news as it’s a known fact that the film festival buzz is unmissable and we ensure you aren’t left behind!
We aspire to form a niche for ourselves as the ‘short film magazine’ that remains the hub for filmmakers & their audience.

Popular Topics

  • Announcements
  • Articles
  • Crowdfunding
  • Editorial
  • Film Festival News
  • Film Festivals
  • India Edition
  • Interviews
  • Marketing
  • Marketing
  • News
  • Online Premiere
  • Post-Production
  • Pre-Production
  • Reviews
  • Short Film
  • Short Film Competition
  • Short Film News
  • Tutorials
  • Web Series

Indie Shorts Mag on Instagram

Follow Us On Instagram

  • #ShortFilmReview: Rendezvous: In this game of deception, only the one who is a step ahead can win. Read our review. Link in bio.⠀
⠀
⠀
@det_4_films⠀
⠀
#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • Screamfest Opens Submissions For 2021(Deadline Approaching Soon!)

Fun fact: Paranormal Activity gained recognition at Screamfest. 

Learn more, link in bio. 

#filmfestival #screamfest #shortfilmfestival #supportindiefilm #indiefilm #horrorfilm #horrorfifestival
  • #ShortFilmReview: Denervation: How far are you willing to go to remain youthful? Read our review. Link in bio.⠀
⠀
⠀
@joshuaadawson⠀
⠀
#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: Toxic: A fragile ego is always easily wounded. Read our review and watch the short film. Link in bio.⠀
⠀
⠀
@bme_films⠀
⠀
#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #
  • #ShortFilmReview: RedSin: You can
  • #ShortFilmReview: Erena...Our Eritrea: How many more lives to be lost before their voices are finally heard? Read our review. Link in bio.⠀
⠀
⠀
@aymericjinnicolet @elliehodgettsfilmmaker @erenafilm⠀
⠀
#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview
  • #ShortFilmReview: Luccica: This ghostly apparition seeks more than just revenge. Read our review. Link in bio.⠀
⠀
⠀
@JesseMcAnally @FoscaFeatures⠀
⠀
#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: Dia de Las Carpas: Revisit your childhood friendship! Read our review. Link in bio.⠀
⠀
⠀
@skylar.y.zzz @diadelascarpasfilm @joaodallstella⠀
⠀
#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: Promenade: Kiss your youth goodbye in the promise of something better. Read our review and watch the short film. Link in bio.⠀
⠀
⠀
@anollieward⠀
⠀
#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm

© 2015-2021 Indie Shorts Mag

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Premieres
  • Interviews
  • Marketing
  • News
    • Film Festival News
    • Short Film News
  • Reviews
    • Short Film
    • Documentary
    • Web Series
  • Tutorials
    • Pre-Production
    • Post-Production
  • Submit Short Film

© 2015-2021 Indie Shorts Mag