Film Maudit 2.0 Festival Presents BLEEDING ART Film Review — The Woes Of An Artist

He’s a struggling artist.

His dad bullied him and called him a failure.

His girlfriend stormed out on him.

The final nail in the coffin: he’s lost his dog.

Daniel Crossan is standing outside of his home holding an axe, rubbing the edge of it with his thumb, and the first words we hear from him set the mood for the short film: “I think the secret to a long life is… wanting to die?”

An electronic jingle cuts in and the screen jumps to the Bleeding Art logo. Throughout the 18-minute short, the dichotomy of cheery editing and Daniel’s brooding is persistent. Amid lessons on painting, Daniel recounts the disappearance of his dog Casper, his girlfriend Helen walking out on him, and the supposedly encouraging words his dad told him growing up.

We not only pity Daniel, we’re also amused by the absurdity within his story. From a parodying rock song to unrealistic violence, Bleeding Art isn’t afraid to make a laugh at its protagonist’s expense.

This viewer most enjoyed the camerawork of the film. Using a vlog format, Daniel begins each Bleeding Art episode seated in front of a camera and summarizing a topic. Once he enters his studio, the recording style changes, and we feel like we’re watching an actual YouTube video.