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Whoever Was Using This Bed
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Wikipedia article
'Whoever Was Using This Bed' is a 2016 Australian short film directed by Andrew Kotatko. It is based on the short story by Raymond Carver from his 1988 collection 'Elephant'. The film stars Jean-Marc Barr, Radha Mitchell and features the voice of Jane Birkin.
The film was co-produced by Altaire Productions and Midnight Coffee Films, with post-production funds successfully raised via crowdfunding on Kickstarter.[https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/radha-mitchell-calls-on-her-fans-to-help-fund-the-final-stages-of-her-latest-film-whoever-was-using-this-bed/news-story/56f2d3231f81cc03418bfefa611f850c/ Radha Mitchell calls on her fans to help fund the final stages of her latest film Whoever Was Using This Bed], The Daily Telegraph 14 March 2015.[http://if.com.au/2015/03/09/article/Crowdfunding-campaign-for-short-starring-Radha-Mitchell/QFSDJEYEGV.html Crowdfunding campaign for short starring Radha Mitchell] , IF Magazine 9 March 2015.
'Whoever Was Using This Bed' won Best Drama in the Australian Film Institute / Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts's 2016 Social Shorts competition.[http://www.socialshorts.com.au/drama/ Social Shorts - Drama Category] , Social Shorts 17August 2016.
It is Kotatko's second adaptation of Carver's writing, the first being 'Everything Goes' starring Hugo Weaving, Abbie Cornish and Sullivan Stapleton.
Synopsis
A married couple (Barr and Mitchell) is woken in the dead of night by a mysterious phone caller (Birkin). Unable to sleep, the couple are drawn into an unsettling examination of their darkest fears and desires.
Cast
*Jean-Marc Barr as Ray
*Radha Mitchell as Iris
*Jane Birkin as The Caller
Release
The film had its Australian premiere at the 25th Flickerfest International Short Film Festival.[http://flickerfest.com.au/programme/best-of-australian-6-2016/ Flickerfest - Best of Australian 6 Programme - 2016] , Flickerfest 19 December 2015. It was nominated for Best Australian Short Film.[http://if.com.au/2015/12/14/article/Flickerfest-unveils-competitive-program/PIQHLISGHW.html Flickerfest unveils competitive program] , IF Magazine 14 December 2015.
Background
In an interview about 'Whoever Was Using This Bed' in The Brag Magazine, Kotatko said: "People whove seen the film have told me that it plays like an intimate American drama from the '70s, but theres definitely a visual quality to the film that evokes classic film noir. I think it also has an emotionally unnerving and suspenseful quality to it. It feels a bit like a thriller."[http://www.thebrag.com/arts/five-minutes-andrew-kotatko-director-whoever-was-using-bed/ Five Minutes with Andrew Kotatko, Director of Whoever Was Using This Bed by Chris Martin] , The Brag Magazine 21 December 2015.
Radha Mitchell expressed her reasons for doing the project in The Beast Magazine: "I wouldnt normally be attracted to do a short film, except this is such a character piece, and its so dependent on the two lead performances. Its sophisticated, and in a sense, its very adult. Not in an x-rated sense, but thematically its mature, and that was of interest to me."[http://thebeast.com.au/people/rahda-mitchell-never-say-never/ Radha Mitchell - Never Say Never by Daniel Hutton] , The Beast Magazine 1 January 2016.
Jean-Marc Barr shared his thoughts on the film's story in an interview for Filmink Magazine: "Theres something very human about Carvers short stories and daily happenings that I think every couple has maybe gone through this. He [Kotatko] was able to leave it as open and as modern as possible but also give it his own kind of spices and wishes. The characters are really well built, especially in the writing and I think they leave a really big range for interpretation."[https://filmink.com.au/2016/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-jean-marc-barr/ What We Talk About When We Talk About Jean-Marc Barr by Matt Lowe] , Filmink Magazine 7 January 2016.
Critical reception
Matthew Lowe of Filmink Magazine gave the film 18 out of 20, noting that "'Whoever Was Using This Bed' is an impeccably well-made short film, deeply melancholic and enriched by its superb performances".[https://filmink.com.au/reviews/whoever-was-using-this-bed/ Review: Whoever Was Using This Bed by Matthew Lowe] , Filmink Magazine 14 January 2016.
US film critic Jeffrey M. Anderson of Combustible Celluloid gave the film 3 and a half out of 4 and observed that "'Whoever Was Using This Bed' occupies a state of sad, inescapable truth. To my eyes, Kotatko comes the closest of any filmmaker to capturing Carver on film."[http://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/2015/whoever_using_bed.shtml Review: Whoever Was Using This Bed by Jeffrey M. Anderson] , Combustible Celluloid 17 September 2015.
In his review, ABC Radio's Movieland critic CJ Johnson wrote that "'Whoever Was Using This Bed' is an intelligent, precise and mature short film that doesnt rely on Carvers innate abilities; in transposing this gripping little two-hander to the screen, Kokatko makes plenty of cinematic choices of his own, informed by his obvious deep regard for the source material."[https://filmmafia.wordpress.com/2016/05/13/the-first-monday-in-may-and-st-kilda-short-whoever-was-using-this-bed/ Reviews: The First Monday In May and St Kilda short Whoever Was Using This Bed by CJ Johnson], Film Mafia / Movieland 13 May 2016.
References
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