The sweet hand of the white rose (The Sweet Hand of the White Rose) is the evocative and poetic title of the award-winning short film written and directed by Davide Melini (Extreme Love, The Screenplay, The Puzzle), a film that deals with the theme of death and the afterlife in an extraordinary way.
Davide Melini drags an unfortunately common drama into a horror universe imprinted with his style and talent and focusing on what alters the course of every man's life: fate.
Fate pulls the strings of the protagonists' lives as if they were soul-deprived puppets and looms over their path without warning.
The story focuses on Mark, a young man who isolates himself inside a club where, absorbed in his thoughts, he consumes alcohol. His girlfriend catches up with him, berating him for not returning her numerous phone calls and text messages. Annoyed with her obsessive and nagging behavior, the young man leaves without addressing her.
A silent protagonist steals the film's scene by communicating with the expressiveness of his face the pain of living while his dull gaze reflects a deteriorated inner state. His voiceover then accompanies his actions, his thoughts and finally his despair leaving the power of communication to the images.
The good use of lighting and photography, as well as the change of location and the final night shots create a sharp contrast between the first part of the The sweet hand of the white rose and what follows until the epilogue. Indeed, at a certain point the film darkens by crossing the threshold into horror and dragging behind it long drags of intense grief.
A gloomy atmosphere made edgy by a wonderful icy cinematography (José Antonio Crespillo) and a mournful location, as in this case the cemetery, gives highly evocative images. Added to this is also the sound component (by Christian Valente and Ivan Novelli), which also becomes sad, mournful and nefarious, thus completely in tune with the rest of the sequences shot inside a family tomb and among the tombstones, a place where one can admire intense and profound almost painterly funeral sequences.
The conclusion of the film is emotional and gives a touch of class to the film. Indeed, noble moods converge in the finale, contrasting with an almost melancholy and suffering situation. Such portrayal allows the viewer to imagine a gateway to serenity although the context is macabre and claustrophobic.
Also commendable is this directorial effort by Davide Melini, who with elegance and extreme delicacy brings a dramatic theme to the stage by lowering it into a horror dimension. The result is an intense and complete film, disturbing but at the same time wounding. The sweet hand of the white rose Is also well played. Carlos Bahos is convincing and gives the audience an excellent acting performance, managing to convey the moods of his character. Natasha Machuca and Leocricia Sabán are also in the cast.
Davide Melini also handled the production of the film together with Fabel Aguilera.
Make-up and special effects are by MarÃa GarcÃa.
Among the awards won by the short film: 1st Best Film Award at the Underground Monster Carnival in the United States; 2nd Best Independent Film of the year at the Italian Indie Horror festival; Best Cinematography in the Spanish festival "Cesur en Corto"... The film was selected in many festivals such as the "Málaga Film Festival", the "South African Horror Festival", the "Fantafestival - International Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Festival" and the "Germany After Dark Horror Festival". The short film also entered the official selection of the "David di Donatello 2011."
As The Puzzle, also The sweet hand of the white rose was broadcast in Italy on the "Short Stories" program and the "Independent Terror" short film show; in Spain on "Málaga en Antena"; in America on "Indie Horror TV." In addition, the short was included in "Self Induced Nightmare," a British horror TV series hosted by actor Adam A. Park.
