Emma (2020) (Short)

Review

A young prostitute, an abusive pimp, a package of drugs. Those are the familiar ingredients in this Norwegian short film, written and directed by newcomer Oskar Haug. The setting is present-day Oslo, and the characters look more like the actors they are than the transgressors they portray, but perhaps the milieu Haug is portraying isn't quite as outlandish and passé as what your average modern, ski-loving social-democrat may think. At any rate, there is more merit in the film's style than in its plot. Haug directs his scenes with an assured, inquisitive patience, and the apt editing ensures effective mood shifts. We may see more from this young filmmaker in the future.