“This delightful French comedy is full of laughs and the occasional organ…”

A medical student discovers that his best friend is carrying out macabre experiments to restore life to a dead being.

We’re always curious what unique films we’ll receive within our comedy genre as they often explore some fairly ludicrous stories, and director Stephane Laurencin MARY is definitely one of them! (In the best way) This delightful French comedy is full of laughs and the occasional organ.

Given the genre, Laurencin creates a distinct look and pace to the film that feels unique to his style. Instead of going all out gory, the film has an almost vintage Frankenstein quality to it. Vivid lighting is splashed in throughout the flashbacks to comic effect which twist and turn constantly.

The narration delivered by Victor played by Achille Tarouat is brilliant and we’re never too sure if what he’s telling us is true or not. Allowing for Robert played by Enzo Geraldes to be the voice of reason and play the straight man in this comedy duo. Both Tarouat and Geraldes have a great sense of familiarity and genuine friendship which makes for a fun watch.

The film has a rough and budget quality to it which doesn’t impact the film at all, it actually helps. If the film were polished with impeccable cinematography, the laughs would get lost and miss out the fun amateurish tone of the story. We’re not sure if this was by design or actually down to budget, but it actually works.

What jumps out is the exciting timeline that Victor explains to his best friend Robert. The ever changing narrative is a great way to tell the story and keep it fun whilst getting in some hilarious gags. The laboratory in which mad scientist Victor delves further into his obsession is excellent and great way to show the absurdity of what he’s attempting.

Comedy is most certainly subjective but we know a good comedy when we see it. MARY is a fun, ridiculous and most importantly hilarious short film that we recommend you go out of your way to watch. Considering the nature of the story, there is actually a real sense of heart behind the film…

— APEX Film Awards