Untitled IV
Dir. Angelos Alfatzis
Run Time
15m 00s
Genre
Horror
Content Warnings:
-
Origin:
Athens, Greece
Synopsis:
In a haunting journey through a surreal landscape, a man's recurring dream becomes a relentless cycle of guilt and self-destruction.
"Untitled IV" is a mesmerizing 15-minute film that experiments with narrative structures, seamlessly combining elements of psychological horror, thrilling suspense, and a haunting exploration of the human psyche. Viewers are transported into a surreal world of foggy mountaintops, eerie caves, abandoned Byzantine churches, and rundown houses, enveloped in a dark and foreboding atmosphere heightened by nocturnal setting that leaves elements shrouded in darkness. This adds an extra layer of suspense and unease, leaving viewers feeling like they are wandering through a never-ending nightmare.
The film follows a man as he relives a recurring dream, with false awakenings adding an eerieness to the atmosphere and a layer of complexity to the narrative. He descends a dark path into the unknown, encountering ghostly children among ruins, each encounter more frightening than the last. The dream compels the man to kill the children, exposing his self-destructive impulses or a desire to punish himself for past misdeeds.
Throughout each repetition of the dream, the man becomes closer to committing this act of violence, becoming increasingly fixated on killing the children, until in the final iteration, he does so, and we see he has been holding a bloody sledgehammer all along. However, the dream starts again, suggesting that he will be trapped in this cycle of guilt and trauma forever.
The lighting that illuminates the protagonist from above and the camera style, which resembles the perspective of third-person video games, creates a unique and immersive visual quality, giving the film an unsettling and ominous atmosphere. With no dialogue, the film's visuals and soundscape create a spellbinding experience for the viewer.
More Info:
Angelos Alfatzis is an architect and filmmaker born in Athens in 1992. He holds a degree in Architectural Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and has extensive work experience in various fields such as astronautics and design. He is a versatile individual with unique perspective on filmmaking and writing, combining his architectural and aesthetic sensibilities with an extensive awereness of philosophy and narrative.
Angelos' dedication to his craft has led him to achieve mastery in the art of visual and auditory composition, framing, set and sound design. His understanding of space, acute sense of aesthetics and technical skills enable him to create immersive and thought-provoking films that seamlessly blend reality with fiction, transporting the audience into an enchanting world of storytelling.
Currently based in Athens, Angelos is a Principal at an award-winning architecture firm with headquarters in New York City. His contributions to the field of architecture have been recognized with several international awards. In addition to his work in architecture and film, Angelos has also cultivated a strong sense of aesthetic theory and criticism that informs his creative process.