The film begins with an epitaph: “Without friend or foe MAN ceases to exist. / Without friend or foe DEATH is but a gift.” This seems to be a play on a line from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics: “Without friends, no one would want to live, even if he had all other goods.” The stark beauty of the desert graces the screen, engulfing us in the deep blue and white of the sky against yellow dunes.
A lone figure wanders at the crest of a dune, making his way toward the camera. He is a police or military officer of some type, clad in a bulletproof vest and brandishing a pistol as he desperately tries to make contact with someone over the radio. We watch him continue to wander as the radio yields no results. Eventually, he sees another figure on the horizon. They spot each other and raise their weapons. What happens next drives the film to its conclusion.
Haunting, beautiful, and a little confusing, it’s hard to talk about this short film without giving too much away. Sacrifice at the Altar is about perception, betrayal, authority, and loss. It’s important to note that this film was shot entirely on an iPhone, showing the cinematic value of modern smartphones. There are several questions that go unanswered, even as the truth comes to light toward the film’s end: Who is the main character exactly? What kind of world are we in?
The sound design could have been better considered, as it maintains only one emotional level throughout the film and occasionally covers up the dialogue. This short film is absolutely Lynchian at some points, using backward speech and strange costumes to transport the viewer into a nightmarish world that doesn’t always make sense. Short or art film enthusiasts will want to see Sacrifice at the Altar. Highly Recommended.
What type of college instructors could use this film?
Professors of cinematography or film would get the best use out of Sacrifice at the Altar. With its 21-minute runtime, it would fit perfectly into any class period.
Where does this title belong on public library shelves?
Consider putting Sacrifice at the Altar among art films.