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Benjamin Goodger’s Year 10 made waves at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2024, captivating audiences with its harrowing depiction of a post-apocalyptic world. As part of the festival’s First Blood strand, the film joins a diverse lineup of emerging genre talents, showcasing a gripping story of survival amid chaos.
Set ten years after an apocalyptic event, Year 10 plunges viewers into a desolate world where silence is survival. The opening text crawl paints a grim picture of humanity reduced to extremes, from eating the dead to preying on the living. The film’s protagonist, known only as "Son" (played by Toby Goodger), embarks on a perilous journey to retrieve stolen medicine for his ailing partner. His path is fraught with dangers, from cannibalistic clans to roaming packs of feral dogs, all amplified by the necessity of complete silence.
What sets Year 10 apart is its technical mastery. Charlie Goodger’s cinematography immerses viewers in a lifeless, barren world, where muted tones and endless empty landscapes reflect the isolation and despair of the setting. The haunting score by Mario Grigorov and Matt Hill intensifies the atmosphere, serving as the film’s emotional voice in the absence of dialogue.
While the film’s silence builds tension, it also poses challenges. Unlike A Quiet Place, which uses sign language to develop its characters, Year 10 offers little interaction, making it harder for audiences to connect with Son on a deeper level. Though Toby Goodger delivers a physically compelling performance, the lack of backstory leaves viewers craving a stronger emotional anchor.
Originally conceived as a short film titled Coming of Age, Year 10 struggles at times to fully sustain its expanded runtime. Its focus on chase sequences and survival scenarios limits character development, which might have strengthened the narrative.
Despite these shortcomings, Year 10 excels as a visual and auditory experience. Its haunting score, striking cinematography, and raw portrayal of survival craft a memorable post-apocalyptic story. For fans of the genre, Year 10 offers a chilling exploration of humanity’s resilience in the face of silence and despair.