Blight (2018)

Directed by: Raphaël Crombez | 24 minutes | short film, drama, thriller, fantasy | Actors: Florence Janas, Firat Çelik, Albane Francis, Nicolas Grosrichard, June Dune, Pierre Nisse

“Blight” means both “curse” and “wither up” or “have a destructive effect on”. The sight of Elias and Nora’s adorable baby in the French-spoken short film ‘Blight’ doesn’t suggest that this word applies to her, but something is wrong with her. Nora discovers this while washing her baby daughter; a wound on her hand heals instantly. The fact that Léa screams in grief (or pain?) doesn’t stop the mother from trying again: she cuts her hand, dips her hand in the water and voilà: it heals!

Elias is a lot more reserved and wants to protect his daughter at all costs. As if he immediately feels that a price has to be paid for this miracle. But Nora gets her way. The fact that Elias is right only seems to strengthen her in her intention. When Nora’s brother Marcus discovers his godchild’s powers, little Léa is in danger.

‘Blight’ examines the moral dilemma – which is in fact not a dilemma here – of how important one human life is to several human lives. Are you sacrificing one person when you can save countless others? The mother’s motives remain opaque; at first you understand her fascination, but it is incomprehensible that she is not there when her daughter needs her. There could also be another cause, postpartum depression is obvious, but the film does not go into that. It’s a shame we don’t learn more about these people; perhaps a slightly longer film would have been better for this subject. Fascinating, beautifully portrayed and food for discussion.