The term ‘bastard’ is always uttered with a harsh tone. It’s purely derogatory, deriving from old medieval terms that make its impact land with a painful thud when directed at a person. Julia (Isabella Jane Schiller) is a self-professed bastard herself, with her being the product of a brief relationship her mother, Margaret (Jennifer Dorr White) had. Nonchalant as she is about it, an awkward date with Jason (Harsh Milan) sends her retreating into a more contemplative state. At thirty, she’s struggling to find her place and purpose, issues magnified by her parental situation weighing heavy on her mind. Her best friend Nik (Sagan Chen) is perhaps the only one who understands her plight, but when Julia discovers a box full of old letters and keepsakes, she must come to reconcile with a devastating new revelation.
Despite its title carrying such negative connotations, Director Monica Arsenault’s film holds a compassionate lesson about belonging and finding ourselves after our identity is called into question. Schiller is an excellent lead, and Chen really is the friend we could all use in times of crisis. Their chemistry works, dovetailing nicely with the short’s stripped-down story of a childhood shattering apart. Schiller’s screenplay is arguably its strongest asset, zeroing in on a decidedly character-driven affair where we are with Julia at all times, experiencing uncertainty alongside her. It’s never cut and dry and not an easy pill for her to swallow as she unravels her childhood.
There’s also something to be said about Bastard’s minimalist approach, not just towards its narrative but also its presentation. The production design is fantastic, and Maddalenda De Beni’s camerawork relies on simplicity to convey each key story beat. It’s because of these qualities that Bastard manages a very tricky ending, hitting the ground running with a hauntingly beautiful final sequence. All that’s to say, it just might make its viewer have a moment of introspection as to their place in our modern world, but more critically, it actively deconstructs parts of its central character’s past to great dramatic effect.
Monica Arsenault and writer/co-director/star Isabella Jane Schiller’s film is all about growing up and being more perceptive about those close to us. When one’s past is on the verge of collapse, Bastard asks tough questions by challenging what we know about ourselves and how we want to continue further.
