It’s Isolation vs. Solitude In The Sci-Fi Self Portrait Film, The Isolationist.

The greatest perk about being a part of the Culture Club team is that, not a single thing within the culture misses me. A few weeks ago , Mukondeleli made me watch, “The Isolationist”, a South African, monochromatic, short film presented by Studio Bila and my outlook on solitude during this global epidemic has become more vivid.

The Isolationist is a an almost eighteen minute self portrait film staring , written , directed and edited by multidisciplinary artist , Anthony Bila also known as “The Expressionist”, which according to Collins dictionary is, “a painter, writer, or composer who is an exponent of expressionism, seeking to express through their work the inner world of emotion rather than external reality.”

Raised in Tembisa, a large township in the east of Gauteng, he began his quest in the world of advertising and sprouted into other dimensions of the art realm collecting the titles, writer, director, illustrator, actor and photographer. Anthony is also the founder of Studio Bila, a home for his marketing and directing experiences. Through this content consultancy he, “works with emerging and established entities, bridging the gap between young African brands and creators and blue-chip multi-national companies.”

All it took was the country to be “put on hold” for The Expressionist to switch on this light bulb that has been lingering in his mind for THREE YEARS!

“I have had the idea for this film borne in my mind for about three years now” , Bali says , “I have just never had the time to delve into the concepts and ideas until the world stood still 3 months ago” he adds.

The short film travels around “Isolation vs Solitude, being alone vs being lonely” as well as the state of mental health.

“A man is set apart from the world, writhing in the pangs of isolation. Grappling with the obscurity of being alone and being lonely, this film is an exploration of how, without anyone to tether us to reality, as social creatures reality and fantasy – perhaps even nightmare – blur for our subject. The narrative wades between the horror and harmony of solitude,” he describes his piece of work.

The film has been selected for three categories in the Lift Off Global Sessions which is a monthly online showcase, devoted to screening widely submitted indie and feature short films.

If you have not watched The Isolationist , this review should make your fingers automatically tap below.