Bamnol - The Debt (2021) [Short Film Review]

Bamnol - The Debt
     My granddaughter works hard! All you do is get drunk everyday!
It has been roughly two months since my The Monk and The Samurai review, and now I am back with another short film discussion. Recently, I was approached with a review offer from director, writer, and producer Robin Dudfield, who informed me about his directorial debut called Bamnol - The Debt.

The official synopsis on IMDB provides us with the following information: “A university student's life spirals out of control after she takes responsibility for a family debt.” This is the essential premise of the entire story, but there is so much more to the context of the main heroine’s drama.

The leading character is called Sothy (Erica Tan). She is an ordinary student and a hard-working girl, but one day, she notices that her father takes money from a loan shark. Subsequently, he proceeds to indulge himself in binge drinking. To make matters worse, he collapses and has to be hospitalised. All of this forces Sothy to pay off her father’s debt, to literally suffer for the sins of her parental figure.

Evidently, this theme has been used repeatedly in numerous movies, but in the case of Bamnol, it works in the film’s favour because it allows to highlight a number of topical issues which take place across the globe, such as falling into debt, prostitution, and human trafficking. Director Robin Dudfield skillfully guides the narrative of this social drama, and encapsulates it in a 12-minute vignette that really makes you feel sorry for the plight of Sothy.

Undoubtedly, the cinematography done by Adam Pray on location in Phnom Penh, Cambodia is great to look at. I also appreciate tight and unpretentious editing helmed by Erikcs Mickevics and the aforementioned Adam Pray. With regard to performances, Erica Tan gives a truly convincing performance as the leading character. If I were to nitpick, I would say that sound editing could have been improved a bit. Evidently, the movie was not shot in a studio but on location, so some ADR is required to properly hear the dialogue in certain scenes.

All things considered, Bamnol - The Debt is a compelling short film indeed. If you happen to have spare 12 minutes, then you can check it out fair and square on YouTube via Robin Dudfield’s official channel.

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