“So, is this film really about reunion or drifting apart?”
I hesitated for three seconds before answering, “It’s complicated.”
It’s hard to pinpoint the delicate changes in emotions in Shaun Seneviratne's Ben and Suzanne: A Reunion in Four Parts. Yet, this intricacy vests the film with more relatability and, therefore, an unrefined attraction. Partially autobiographical, this film tells the story of a long-distance couple’s reunion on a half-business-half-travel trip. In the exotic land of Sri Lanka, Ben, who comically lands with a gigantic Toblerone chocolate bar, and Suzanne, his long-distance girlfriend who works for an NGO organization, rediscover, reconnect, and redirect their relationship as they encounter awkward intimacy, comical dilemmas, and inevitable disagreements and redraw their individual lifelines.
“Complicated?”
As funky as it sounds, it might take some effort to devise a more applicable description for modern relationship discussions: prioritizing oneself and loving others, personal improvement and responsibilities, excitement from recklessness, and rational decision-making… There are endless conflicts in which young people find balance. Therefore, when it is time to define the relationship, many would take a similar approach to the movie’s couple: sheltering themselves in their comfortable, safe space of ambiguity and avoidance and dodging the precious opportunity of a sincere heart-to-heart and reconciliation after confrontations. The problem becomes even more frustrating when the external environment becomes unpredictable, and each character must constantly renavigate their position. Thus, it is understandable that they take such a melodramatic journey to retain the bond initially evaporated through time and distance.
Recapping all these prevalent modern concerns, I found that this film positioned itself at quite a struggling starting point, surrounded by questions without definite answers. With this in mind, it would have been almost too surprising how seamlessly this story mingled realistic, relatable questions with fictional conflicts and comedic dramas. Anastasia Olowin, who plays Suzanne, and Sathya Sridharan, as Ben, portray the characters and interact with each other in such natural ways, bringing us closer to the intriguing relationship of the characters. However, diving behind the scenes, I see the passion from both the actors and the filmmakers, which brings the answer to the surface: Not only did the filmmakers and actors overcome obstacles for shooting over fourteen years, but they took patience in crafting the piece by carefully interweaving the casting into the depiction of characters and filming process into the story itself. Anastasia, for instance, demonstrating a compelling understanding of the intricate romance and tangling emotions between Suzanne and Ben, was devoted to experiencing “Suzanne’s life” by scouting the filming location before the shooting, familiarizing herself with what Suzanne would have done, and, as such, presenting herself to be smoothly well adapted into the film setting and her role. Over the creation process of turning the original short film into this feature-length piece, both main actors’ personality traits seem to be deliberately integrated into the characters, adding an extra layer of authenticity. The actors’ connections formed in time behind the camera marinate in their interactions on screen, becoming an organic flavor that enhances their drizzling sexual tension and letting out the fragrance of tender affection.
When analyzing this film, I found it necessary to credit the dedicated crew members for turning a short film into an exceedingly well-paced, brilliantly flavorful feature film. They neatly balanced between bold, bleakly honest representations and a supple, patient narrative method. On the one hand, this film unprecedentedly pinpoints the kinship between sexual desire and emotional attachment and even further reveals the somewhat embarrassing encounters in humorous ways, which is intensified by the daring use of vibrant blue-tone colors and dazzling visuals. On the other hand, it leaves abundant time for the story to unfold slowly, peeling off each old layer only when it’s ready for a comprehensive examination of the new, leading viewers step by step to synchronize with the characters’ mental journey. Therefore, it culminates in this piece with a unique, long-lasting aftertaste.
“You know what, it’s not that complicated.”
Even after experiencing a series of surprises with Ben and Suzanne, viewers would hardly feel the exhaustion of witnessing dramas. Still, they would instead gain a sense of calmness, a breeze of relief, and the warmth of satisfaction – it is so many feelings blended but will be distilled into something pure, easy, and simple.
They might find an answer.
Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion in 4 Parts opens the Fall 2024 New Jersey Film Festival on Friday, September 6. Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion in 4 Parts Director Shaun Seneviratne will be at the in-person screening to do a Q+A! The film will be Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 7 PM in Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ. Tickets are available for purchase here.
The 43rd Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will be taking place on select Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between September 6-October 18, 2024. The Festival will be a hybrid one as it will be presented online as well as doing in-person screenings at Rutgers University. All the films will be available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date. VoD start times are at 12 Midnight Eastern USA. Each General Admission Ticket or Festival Pass purchased is good for both the virtual and the in-person screenings. Plus, acclaimed electronic music artist Jim Haynes will be doing an audio-visual concert on Friday, October 18 at 7PM! The in-person screenings and the Jim Haynes Concert will be held in Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ beginning at 5PM or 7PM on their show date. General Admission Ticket=$15 Per Program; Festival All Access Pass=$120; In-Person Only Student Ticket=$10 Per Program. General Admission Jim Haynes Concert Ticket=$25. To buy tickets go here: https://watch.eventive.org/newjerseyfilmfestivalfall2024
