The Arrival

 The Arrival

'The Arrival' is a short film which centers on a young woman named Anna as she waits in a café for the father of her unborn child. The narrative follows Anna's internal monologue as she agonizes about her future with or without this child. The overall colour palette of the film is muted and de-saturated with the café being mostly red and brown and Anna's cream jumper. Anna's make-up is limited and her hair is in a practical style to create the feeling of her being just an everyday person. 

The film opens with an obscured long shot of Anna through the dirty window in the café door. The door is then opened and the camera inches closer and closer in a single shot as the film progresses and her thoughts unravel. The lighting is harsh and bright against the more shadowy areas of the room which creates a contrast which mirrors Anna's internal conflict. The mise-en-scene plays a large role symbolically as the clock on the back wall reminds Anna of her life running out and the window next to her represents the father's "big biological window". The extras can also be seen to mirror Anna's feelings as she wonders 'how much time do I have left?' as two elderly people pass her and muses on love as a couple holds hands next to her. The most obvious incidence of this is when she sees a baby and loses her focus, spilling her coffee. At this point in the short, it switches into an expressionistic segment in which the café is transformed into a train carriage which could be seen as a metaphor for Anna's journey through life. 

The short ends with the camera pulling away from Anna as she asks the waiter for a "decaf instead". Whilst not explicitly said, this hints to the audience that she has decided to keep the baby. 

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