The Hollowing, directed by Steven Weinzierl, follows a couple as they try an experimental therapy to test the compatibility of their relationship. They are placed into a sleep state and are put into a false reality together. This dream-like version of their life showcases the mundane, everyday scenarios of a relationship to the more supernatural and grotesque elements that are unearthed by this therapy. It starts off with relatable feelings of relationship trouble while introducing and building up who the characters are and their relationship to each other, before taking dramatic turns and heightening the stakes of the relationship between the two as the therapy procedure continues. The film plays with the line between reality and dream in a way that is both noticeable and unnoticeable, creating a sense of suspense that is only heightened by the events unfolding onscreen. The film also showcases stellar cinematography and lighting that make the false reality just as immersive for the audience as it is for the characters.

The Hollowing’s rich lighting and colors send the viewer into a world that feels lived in and real at the same time as being dream-like as the film explores the trouble between the couple. The argument scenes between the two are lit in a way that feels completely natural, mirroring how ordinary the situations feel to the characters, but the atmosphere still feels somewhat dream-like. When the film leans into the more supernatural and dreamy elements, the lighting switches to stark reds and blues, as the film switches between characters as they make important decisions. These lighting choices add more dramatization to these scenes, letting the audience know that what is happening will be pivotal even though the importance is not revealed until later on. In the scenes that take place in reality, the lighting and cinematography amplify the realness that exists in the argument scenes, grounding the film even further and letting the viewer know that these scenes exist in the real world in a subtle way that is almost unnoticeable when watching

The realistic scenarios the film creates through this immersive therapy ground the film despite the supernatural elements. From small grievances like one not cooking for the other to more prevalent arguments such as using each others’ toothbrushes, the film takes the time to flesh out the characters through short yet realistic arguments that make what the characters are experiencing feel like their average life, but when the more paranormal elements come in, such as the mysterious decaying apple that opens the film, the viewer is reminded as to what is going on and what is being slowly revealed about the characters. The events of the film are elevated by the performances by Cari Flowers and Joe Meyer, who bring this couple to life and sell the idea that these two characters want to test their compatibility with each other and are uncertain up until the chilling twist revealed at the end. The performances by these two actors make the beginning stages of this false reality feel grounded in reality through their average conversations and arguments, and as time goes on and things get more complicated they bring the characters to the next level.

The Hollowing screens at the New Jersey Film Festival on Saturday, February 1st alongside other short films including Dinner at Manny’s (Steven Joseph Craig), Disoriented (Maura Garnett), Help Yourself (Hedvig Andersson), Phantom Limb (Alice Jokela), and Brooklyn (Timur Guseynov). The film will be available online for 24 hours as well as in-person at 7pm in Voorhees Hall room 105 at Rutgers University (71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ). Tickets are available for purchase on the festival website here.

The 43rd Bi-Annual New Jersey Film Festival will be taking place on select Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays between January 24-February 21, 2025. 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 singer-songwriter Renee Maskin will be doing an audio-visual concert on Friday, February 21 at 7PM! The in-person screenings and the Renee Maskin 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=$100; In-Person Only Student Ticket=$10 Per Program. 

For more info go here: https://newjerseyfilmfestivalspring2025.eventive.org/welcome