Plot: In 1978, the Italian government established Law 180 to restructure their Psychiatric system. The mental hospitals practicing experiments on patients would soon after close one by one up to the last one in 2017. Most of the released patients will be rehabilitated into an alternative medical approach, some will vanish in nature. 40 years after the disappearance of his father, Ben Wagner found clues in an abandoned hospital, in the region of Turin, Italy. Assisted by his two closest friends, Franz and Bill; they set out to explore the building looking through the archives. They will soon realize that they are not the only ones looking for this information and have to face a corporation going through all means to keep the truth hidden. Lost and followed in the ruins of the hospital, Ben will a have to confront a lot more than his painful past.
4 years after “DETOUR” and its selection in the 69th Festival de Cannes, the team of Denopoches Production teams up once again for “THE SEARCH”; a project filmed in a similar way in Italy, entirely independent and self produced. Using the context of the political reforms of the 80’s, The Search builds its plot around the quest for a hidden past. Diving directly into the heart of action, the film presents a rollercoaster of action-packed survival horror, linking suspenseful scenes and brutal brawls, leading to an unexpected unraveling.
The Search is a 17-minute-long short film and a mixture of action and disturbing survival horror; it doesn’t skimp on gore giving us a thoroughly satisfying and well paced descent into Hell.
I was lucky enough to view an early workprint of the film and was amazed at the production values; it has a budget of around $3000 but looks better than some films I’ve seen in theatres.
It’s a visceral assault on the senses and I would like to see it made into a full-length feature at some point as there are some strong ideas. I particularly want to know more about the shadowy government organization and what they are up to…
The look of the “people” who have been experimented on and the shrieking they make will have your skin crawling and is like something out of your worst nightmare.
Overall, The Search is a fast paced and brutal vision that leaves you wanting more; the direction and performances proves that director David Vergne and his cast/crew deserve to go on to have great careers…
