Past Forward
We live in an unrivalled era of eclectic and extravagant fashion films, so when me and eight other lucky students from the Condé Nast College, were totally honoured and excited to be able to attend a showing of ‘Past Forward’, the new short film by Prada. Despite having no personal previous experience of this particular genre of cinema, Prada’s emblematic status inevitably led me to have, extremely, high expectations. Needless to say, they were met. Exceeded even.
David O. Russell’s eighteen minute, dialogue free exposé is yet another creative masterstroke by Prada. The cinematic concept, which was born out of a dinner conversation between Miuccia Prada and Russell, explores the idea of the plurality of self in the phy-gital era. The depiction of futuristic technologies acts to facilitate this concept, illustrating a means to progressively diversify and multiply the self. Both the preternaturalness and inherent peculiarity of the film, heightened by the use of black and white cinematography, aid the feeling of a hallucinatory, dream like experience for the onlooker.
Fuelled by polarising emotions, David O. Russell tackles the idea of the past living in the future and vice versa. In today’s society where the aforementioned are so closely intertwined, and technology is only increasing their affinity, this film comes at a very apt time, the dichotomy Russell explores in ‘Past Forward’, between the fleetingness of a moment and the longevity of its aftermath is both resounding and beautiful. The non-linear storyline emphasizing both the fluidity and fragility of time.