The profoundly emotional 16-minute short film Give offers up a multi-layered account of the passionate romance that develops between Adam (Brian Mittelstadt), a contemporary composer-pianist, and Patrick (Joel DeCandio), a classical singer.
The pair were brought together by their respective gifts for music. Adam finds comfort with each stroke of the piano while Patrick’s singing voice commands attention from everyone within earshot.
When they play together, their connection is palpable, filling each day with both ordinary and extraordinary moments. Once their love crescendos, however, Adam is forced to process his feelings of loss and betrayal the only way he knows how.
Writer, director and composer Kenya Gillespie, who created Give as a thesis project for the Film and Media Production MFA program The University of Texas in Austin, uses a lyrical and contemplative score and snippets of poetic voiceover to support Adam and Patrick’s dreamlike memories. With minimal dialogue, the film uses music as a heartbeat.
Watch the trailer for Give below. The short film is now streaming on Dekkoo. Director Kenya Gillespie’s 2019 short, Jeremiah, is also available now.
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