“Best Fantasy”

“Best Score”

★★★★★

“We knew we were in for an entertaining watch and DI.Y. didn’t disappoint!”

In a fantasy world where every living things, weather events, mountains and rivers are linked to a celestial particulate current, a young inventor and artist seeks a rare species of creatures, and the truth behind their unexpected extinction.

‘The Emergence’ from director Jocelyn Harp is a beautiful and stunning fantasy film with a rich story that will entertain audiences. What’s also amazing is that this film was made on a zero budget by a team of friends. This is what the love of filmmaking is all about!

Director Jocelyn Harp explores a compelling story that would scare off other filmmakers at the beginning of their career. It’s a bold and challenging concept to pull off but it’s done with total ease and creativity. Harp doesn’t keep the camera in one place for too long and creates an ‘immersive world’ that’s in keeping with the genre. It’s a fresh and original film that is hauntingly dramatic.

The performances from Baptiste Peres and Lilian Allain and done so with complete confidence and skill, making the pairing believable on-screen and likely foes. The French dialogue adds to the performances and will remind audiences that not all fantasy films need to be spoken in English. In this case it adds to the poetic aspect of the story.

The score from Benjamin Tassin builds throughout the film and adds a real sense of urgency in ‘Nim’s’ goal. It’s powerful and emotional which is a real stand out piece in the film. It has a sound similar to popular fantasy films made for the big screen. The score during the finale is especially powerful and breathtaking.

The locations and props are worth noting here as there was no budget. This makes it especially impressive as it doesn’t feel amateur. The VFX was also handled by director Jocelyn Harp and was a key part of the film. Had the VFX not been as well done, the film may have a fallen apart. But that’s certainly not the case here as we feel totally connected to the fantastical creatures in the film.

It’s films like these that inspire other first time filmmakers to get out there and make a film. The making of this film is a story in itself in that it was the last film a group of friends made before pursuing their careers. It’s a wonderful and creatively inspiring short film that we loved!

— APEX Film Awards