The French Doors

Short Film (Full Length) – 2001

R13

Restricted

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Steve Ayson’s supernatural short puts a twist on ‘domestic violence’ as a DIY home renovator fits a set of second-hand french doors to his doer-upper. He discovers that light isn’t all they let in. French Doors won selection to Melbourne and Clermont Ferrand festivals and sold to UK’s Channel 4 and France’s CANAL+. At Locarno in 2002, Ayson won a ‘Leopard of Tomorrow’ prize, in a year the festival spotlit down-under films. Ayson has gone on to build a global career as a commercials director (including local classics Ghost Chips, and Lotto’s Lucky Dog).

This 2002 New Zealand short is not only one of my favourites, but over 12-minutes-worth of innovative creepiness to put you off any domestic renovations you might have in mind for, approximately, forever.
– 2011 blog review (Eclect Elect)