Past Forward (2016)

Past Forward Poster

An unreliable story, a parallax view wherein the scenarios, characters, costumes, genres, and endings, repeat and morph, refusing the logic of conventional narrative.

Film Overview
"Past Forward" is a brief experimental movie launched in 2016, directed by David O. Russell and produced by worldwide luxury style home Prada. The movie was revealed at the style brand name's runway programs and later on premiered at the Hauser Wirth & Schimmel gallery in Los Angeles. The film runs 18 minutes and includes black-and-white series. High profile stars, consisting of Allison Williams, Freida Pinto, and Irish star Jack Huston took part in this project.

Plot & Narrative Style
"Past Forward" engages with multiple digressive stories held together by interconnected dreams. The plot of this black-and-white quiet movie revolves around 3 female lead characters who are living through the exact same events in various methods. Each lead character awakens in a modern-day period, goes through her daily regimen, and challenges numerous sets of unusual, surreal, and melodramatic scenarios.

The plot is non-linear, a repeated series of occasions such as taking a trip in a plane, a dance-off, a chase scene, and encounters with numerous men, intersecting in a dream-like and fragmented continuum. Yet, each series harbours distinct psychological tones, providing various perspectives reaching towards a parallel universe idea.

Visual & Conceptual Impact
Visually, the movie includes classic noir qualities, with sharp contrasts, remarkable lighting, and a sense of intrigue. "Past Forward" resembles a moving style shoot, with each frame being extremely stylized, stylish, and instilled with an environment of haute couture.

Conceptually, the film assesses the nature of cinematic storytelling and the methods which stories can fragment, repeat, and intertwine. The movie has fun with themes of duality, repeating, and the fluidity of specific identity. Some critics have actually interpreted the film as a reflection on the cyclical nature of style, style, and patterns, as the exact same occasions keep repeating in varying scene - much like the style cycle.

Sound Design
In the absence of discussion, the film relies heavily on its sound design for storytelling, including music, ambient noises, and the physical noises made by the characters. The sound design produces pain or stress and anxiety in the viewer, showing the characters' emotional states and strengthening the surreal, dreamlike qualities of the story.

Critical Reception
"Past Forward"'s unique cinematic language, its conceptual depth, and exploratory narrative technique have actually left critics with diverse reactions. The movie received substantial awards for its trendy instructions, sublime cinematography, and the performances of its lead stars. However, it has also been slammed for its ambiguity and viewed absence of substance beneath its surface-level aesthetics. However, it is regarded as a success as a speculative brief movie and as a marketing tool for Prada, showcasing the brand name's style pieces in a perfectly progressive setting.

In conclusion, "Past Forward" by David O. Russell and Prada supplies an open-ended, layered experience of dreamlike sequences and visually sensational scenes. With its notable stars and association with a high-fashion brand name, it positions itself at the crossway of fashion, movie, and art, offering a surreal journey that is open to interpretations.

Top Cast

  • Allison Williams (small)
    Allison Williams
    Woman #1
  • John Krasinski (small)
    John Krasinski
    Man #1
  • Freida Pinto (small)
    Freida Pinto
    Woman #2
  • Jack Huston (small)
    Jack Huston
    Man #2
  • Kuoth Wiel
    Woman #3
  • Sinqua Walls (small)
    Sinqua Walls
    Man #3
  • Connie Britton (small)
    Connie Britton
    Pursuing Photographer #1
  • Paula Patton (small)
    Paula Patton
    Pursuing Photographer #2
  • Thomas Matthews (small)
    Thomas Matthews
    Actor
  • Jason Sklar (small)
    Jason Sklar
    Actor
  • Randy Sklar
    Actor