The Neighbors' Window is a short film written and directed by Marshall Curry, based on a true story. The work was presented in April 2019 at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the Oscar for best live action short film at the last installment of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The story begins with Alli under a table, picking up the food that fell out. As she stands up she hits her head and her husband, Jacob, appears, warning her that her children have finally fallen asleep. There and Jacob are a mature couple, living in an apartment in Brooklyn. They are the parents of two children and one more who is about to be born. Their lives seem tired by the obligations of marriage and this concern becomes more evident when through the window they see that in the building opposite a couple in their twenties are having sex, living a free life that deep down they long for. That couple evokes an idea of perfection or happiness, which they lack, or at least they think so.
Shortly after, the couple discussed the uneven distribution of household chores, the stress that comes with the responsibility of caring for their children and they compare all this with the way of life of their neighbors, who seem to not realize that when other side there are people living. There he begins to prejudice the lives of her neighbors.
What most catches my attention is the rhythm of the short film. Perhaps it is due to Marshall Curry's expertise within the documentary, or perhaps because of the editor's vision of him. You can feel how the plot unfolds little by little, building what is necessary to create these dramatic arcs in the fully justified characters.
However, there is no doubt that the best thing about the tape is the message it sends. This short film touched me deeply, and personally it was an urgent call for reflection. Curry shows us the fine line between envy and empathy, which is crossed once we stop aspiring to what others have as something superior and focus on ourselves. For something they say that the neighbor's grass will always be greener.
Curry perfectly portrays that spark of life that is in different stages within it, and looks different for each one. If you liked this review of The Nieghbor’s Window, and the choice of this week's Corto Saturnino, don't forget to tell us on our networks. In the same way, we share with you the Short Saturnine from last week in case you want to see more movies.
You can find the short on Youtube completely free