'Pangea' Review: A Discomforting Yet Sensual Short Film About Art & Toxic Love

Pangea, at least in my opinion, is the kind of film that makes you realize that we still have a lot to learn about art; or, to be specific, what one is expressing through art. Writer-director Mimi Davila’s short film tells the story of Rita (played by Davila) and Echo. They used to be lovers and they have reunited. But instead of it being a one-time fling, the reunion turns into an extended affair, with Rita essentially moving into Echo’s house. While Echo appreciates Rita’s company, she doesn’t like how she has hijacked her whole bedroom. Hence, she requests Rita that she move some of her artwork out of her field of vision because she finds it to be “distracting.” Rita sees that as a critique of her work, leading Echo to clarify that she wasn’t looking down upon her work; she was asking her to move it so that she can only focus on the artist when she’s in her presence. That buries the hatchet, thereby allowing the couple to go out on a stroll around the city block. That said, when they return to the apartment and Rita starts rummaging through Echo’s drawers, searching for some great photographs that Echo had taken, they begin bickering again, which leads to an erotic situation, and a bit of existentialism. Whether or not Rita and Echo will stay together or break up once again is what forms the crux of the narrative.

Pangea is seemingly a simple short film because it essentially gives you a slice of Rita and Echo’s life. You get to spend a day with these people and, well, that’s about it. But the longer you sit with it, the more confusing it gets; and I mean that as a positive thing because that means that it has managed to say something compelling, just not in the most obvious way imaginable. For starters, the first conflict (or the first on-screen conflict) that we see between Rita and Echo is probably something we have seen in every toxic relationship or maybe even experienced it ourselves. What kinda throws you off is the method of resolution because it reveals something psychosexual about Rita and Echo’s whole dynamic. This becomes even more obvious during the concluding moments of the film (which I’m not gonna spoil here although that’s very hard to do because it’s a 15-minute short film) and it becomes somewhat apparent that it’s not a victim-abuser situation here. Both are manipulative in their own ways and there’s no winning here. They were better off separated from one another and, by returning to each other’s lives, they have started a cycle that’s probably gonna lead to a devastating end. Or maybe it’ll lead to some form of mutual healing. Yeah, lots to think about.

I think the most noticeable aspect of Pangea is its old-school look. As per the specs available online, that has been achieved with the help of the Arriflex SR3 Super 16 and 16mm black and white film. Which means that the film grain and the damages to the film stock is real, and it’s not the result of any kind of digital meddling that’s been done during post-production. I hate it when artists just slap a “old time-y” filter on the footage and call it a day, because it doesn’t look authentic at all. And it’s usually done by artists working on a budget that can clearly allow them to shoot on film. I want to say that that’s not the case here, but I’m ready to be proven wrong. Regardless of the authenticity of aesthetic, the grain and the damage to the film contrasts very heavily with the setting and the characters. I mean, when you see a silent-era film whose film stock has been damaged, you kinda expect to see those lines and spots; and those imperfections serve as a reminder of when the film was made. However, seeing modern stuff through this borderline nostalgic lens does give you a bit of a whiplash and compels you to wonder what this particular artistic choice is trying to do beyond looking stylish. The production design, the art direction, the costume design, the hair and make-up, and the pacing is really well-done. Mimi really immerses you into this odd, erotic, and discomforting world, and doesn’t let go of you until the credits roll.

The performances in Pangea don’t feel like performances at all. Both Sasha Merci and Mimi Davila are excellent. The lack of inhibition is, to be really honest, really scary. Mimi has said something about the movie being lowkey autobiographical but acting like yourself is easier said than done. You can film yourself like you are in a documentary. But writing yourself (or the version of yourself that you wanna present to the world), writing lines for yourself and your scene partner, and acting it out is a really uphill task. If you think it’s a walk in the park, I implore you to try it yourself. So, yeah, I applaud the work that Mimi and Sasha have put into bringing Rita and Echo to life. I think audiences are becoming very accustomed to watching stuff that is comfortable or is too black and white to create any real discomfort. And if a film or a show hits a nerve, instead of introspecting about why it affected them, they simply label that work of art as dislikable, which is a very horrible way of perceiving a movie or a series. I can understand why that’s the case but I don’t want artists to mollycoddle their viewers, and I hope viewers don’t think of something that seems challenging as a negative thing. They should see it as a window into the challenges that the storyteller has faced; even if they don’t find it to be relatable, they should stick with it because they never know what important life lessons are embedded into that tale. I mean, as someone who has watched 4000 films, I thought that I had mastered the ability to understand anything that a movie has to offer. That said, after watching Pangea, I have come to the realization that I have so much more to learn, and I can’t thank Mimi enough for doing that.