“A perfect example of blending drama and tension to create a lasting film that audiences won’t soon forget.”

The eve of the wedding ceremony was full of wind and rain. In the early hours of the morning, the bride Chen Yu woke up from a nightmare. The groom, Jia Ming, accompanied and comforted her.At night, the two were whispering on their pillows. Unexpectedly, during the chat, the groom Jiaming inadvertently recounted a dusty past. At the same time, Unknowingly, the two of them are revealed to each other, deep in their hearts, an unspeakable shocking secret...

The Night Before the the Wedding is a compelling and well crafted short film that takes many twists and turns and will keep audiences on the edge of their seat throughout. Director 阿齊 Archie has taken a simple concept and expanded it into a dramatic thriller full of depth and substance. The characters are well thought out and superbly performed by the cast. It’s no wonder why this film has received such a great response on the festival circuit. It will encourage viewers to give subtitles a chance as they risk missing out on great films like this.

阿齊 Archie has a very clear vision in mind for this film and splices the flashback scenes together with expert precision. Everything fits together and works to build tension as we reach the finale. It’s full of exciting and dynamic cinematography creating a high production value that is fit for broadcast. Every shot has meaning and adds to the story. The writing is also worth mentioning as there is a lot of dialogue which can sometimes be distracting for audiences, but in this case it’s delivered so well that it captivates you the more you watch. The writing is natural and dramatic, giving the actors plenty to work with. Many of the scenes on paper might seem a challenge to pull off but the production team do it with ease and create a unique approach to capturing the film that isn’t often seen. The flashback scenes are some of the more creative scenes we’ve seen in short films.

The cast are all perfect for their roles and each have their moments to deliver powerful performances, not something you see in a short film of this length. But this again goes back to the great writing that gives each character good material to work with, everyone has a moment in the film that’s memorable.

The production value in the film is excellent, it exceeds the expectations of a film with a similar budget. The amount of locations used is something we were really impressed with as it helps create a real world feel that expands the story. There are many camera techniques used in the film as well which all feel like director trademarks unique to 阿齊 Archie vision. It’s a great direction to capture the film that feels unique.

Now onto the score which is incredibly powerful and intense, building as we get into the more dramatic scenes. It works so well that we can’t imagine this film with anything else, it’s a home run. The same can be said of the sound design that blends with it perfectly, creating a rich mix of sounds that all feel right. The sound more than meets the quality standards of the cinematography which is one of the films key positives. The team all did an excellent job at creating a last short film that has longevity.

We thoroughly enjoyed this film and would encourage anyone to watch it if they have the opportunity. It’s a perfect example of blending drama and tension to create a lasting film that audiences won’t soon forget. It’s a solid 5 stars from us…

— APEX Film Awards