Shanti Thakur’s “Red Tulips” explores a world unmoored from memory
Imagine yourself in a universe where everyone’s memory lasts only a few hours. Shanti Thakur, indie filmmaker and assistant professor at Hunter College’s Film & Media Department, takes her audience into this unparalleled universe in the fictional short film Red Tulips. The film follows James (played by Chris Santangelo), a New York native who wanders throughout the city to find his home. Unmoored from the burdens of memory, the film becomes a surreal tale about finding moments of trust and human connection in the present.
James begins wandering through an unfamiliar city filled with people searching for answers. “These people aren’t tourists, they’re native New Yorkers, but everyone, every single person, has no memory in this universe memory only lasts a few hours,” says the narrator. So, every few hours, each person must relearn everything.
James encounters lives controlled by their “books of human memory” — people flipping through an encyclopedia of pieces of their pasts. The lack of memory stresses some but liberates others. James does not resort to his personal book of human memory but instead has his own notebook filled with his own necessary information to navigate this unfamiliar world. James finally reaches “home,” but he quickly begins a new quest of unanswered questions upon his arrival. Is this home? Who are these people?
His mother-in-law Rosa and daughter Zoey greet James. The red tulips he brings home for his daughter symbolize a sense of familiarity that helps him have faith in his surroundings — and even though he can’t remember, he realizes he does this every day. The photos along the wall also help James confirm his home and family.
They quickly form a bond stronger than memory — a bond between father and daughter. Upon the arrival of Nico, James’ wife, the three unite as a family and celebrate the present over dinner. When Zoey falls asleep, James and Nico continue to grow their bond through song and intimacy. Their affection for each other provokes memory and celebrates the concept of weightlessness. When they finally fall asleep in each other’s arms James is no longer looking for answers but finally recognizes the most important thing, his family.
Thakur stays true to the indie circuit by creating a unique style of her own. Familiar scenes that are easy to identify — riding the subway or even being tangled between the sheets with someone you love — are transformed through Thakur’s abstract eye. Her beautiful editing and seamless style, her transitions and rhythm through the use of color and sound, transform these familiarities into a journey of wonder and discovery.
The creative exploration of human nature shaped by this universe is intriguing. Paired with the concept of weightlessness, the film provokes the audience to question their perspective of memory and emotion. Scene transitions were also a strong element through out this film. The sequence of short shots during James’ journey adds to the sense of overall confusion, but builds up to the film’s most powerful scene: James and Nico experience complete physical and emotional freedom as they fly together on a trapeze. The scene is a flashback provoked by a love that perfectly symbolizes the trust and powerful connection the couple has for each other in that exact moment.
The emotion set by the scene is accomplished by the use of vivid action shots. By strategically placing a GoPro camera, Thakur was not only able to capture Nico’s pure happiness but is also able to physically demonstrate the overall idea of weightlessness and human connection.
In addition to Thakur’s filmmaking style, the actors of the film also add a cohesive element to the story. The strong connection between Chris Santangelo (James), Ines Lucas (Nico), and Francesca Luongo (Zoey), produces a nuclear family that is beyond words. (The film has a voice-over narration by Laurence Cantor.) Only experiencing their chemistry first hand could justify this remarkable on-screen family. It’s apparent in Red Tulips that Thakur is dedicated to her cast as well as their characters. It was a very intimate process between the actors and director, explained Santangelo at a film screening at Hunter last month. Not only did the cast have a connection with Shanti, but they also fell in love with the script, added Lucas. This deep sense of connection between the cast, crew, and characters helped tell an emotional story that captivated the audience.
At the screening, Thakur explained how she explored the idea of weightlessness throughout the film in this fictional world in which people can only remember a few hours. “Exploring memory is a very important part of discovering your identity, but memories can debilitate you from seeing what’s right in front of you,” she said.
“I wasn’t all that creative, to be honest,” she said. “The metaphor for weightlessness came from the flying trapeze.” Her own first flying trapeze lesson simply brought her back to her existing obsession with memory. And this is easy to identify after seeing Thakur’s previous films Sky People and Seven Hours to Burn. Red Tulips continues Thakur’s exploration of memory by questioning the various labyrinths of human love and connection. She then addresses these connections by freeing her characters from their memories.
Shanti Thakur is currently the producer, writer, and director of her various indie films. Her narrative, documentary and experimental films give us insight to a director that has several unique styles. Her films have won several awards and have been broadcasted throughout the world. Red Tulips has won the award for Best Narrative Film – Silver Chris Award at the Columbus International Film Festival. In addition to her film career she also works as a Film and Media professor at Hunter College, inspiring young artists through the art of film.
Watch the trailer here: http://www.shantithakur.com/redtulips.html
