Amer

The four short films included on the DVD shed light on the tentative steps towards this first full-length feature, and while they will no doubt further encourage criticisms of the directors' indulgence, they also confirm that their elegant way with composition and beautiful use of lighting were in evidence all along. A couple of trailers are also included, managing to give a taste of the film ('Amer' means 'bitter') without giving too many glimpses of the imagery it contains. It's a shame there's no commentary track to explain the references to other films and to offer perspective on its many mysteries, but a gorgeous poster marks a generous gift for fans, bearing extensive sleeve notes on its reverse side from Frightfest's own Alan Jones, a passionate proponent of this exceptional debut.