Victoria Mapplebeck's previous short films have been very personal and drawn from her own life; 160 Characters remains my favourite as it was the first I saw and took me by total surprise by how good it was, but the approach continues in other films and remains effective. The Waiting Room sees her go from diagnoses through to treatment for cancer and out the other side; she films things from her POV, and also includes herself and her son in scenes. She mixes the approach well - at times we sit staring at a chair in a waiting room much like she would have done lots of times, then at other times we have rapid editing of vomit and pills - again, representing how it all rushed on her. With contacts with family and discussions with her teenage son, the film feels very personal but yet accessible and relatable.
There are absurd moments in here, which remind us that this is real life - the doctor at the start explaining cancer using mixed metaphors of terrorist cells in the UK, and spread of seeds in a field, is amusing because of how odd it is; and there are moments of happiness and joy too. Mainly though it is tough to watch because it doesn't look away from anything - whether it is the physical impact on her, or the mental/emotional impact on her family. I'll not try to tell you that this is 30 minutes you'll thank me for, or can't afford to miss, but in what it sets out to do - it succeeds.
There are absurd moments in here, which remind us that this is real life - the doctor at the start explaining cancer using mixed metaphors of terrorist cells in the UK, and spread of seeds in a field, is amusing because of how odd it is; and there are moments of happiness and joy too. Mainly though it is tough to watch because it doesn't look away from anything - whether it is the physical impact on her, or the mental/emotional impact on her family. I'll not try to tell you that this is 30 minutes you'll thank me for, or can't afford to miss, but in what it sets out to do - it succeeds.