‘Hallelujah’ — Short Film Review
“Hallelujah” is a traumedy by Victor Gabriel that tells the story of two brothers, in Compton, California, who have to decide if they are willing to take on the responsibility of being caretakers to their nephew and niece after suffering a tragic loss.
The film opens up with 13-yr-old Hallelujah (Stephen Laroy Thomas) having what appears to be an existential meltdown in the backyard while his two ill-equipped uncles have a spirited discourse about child rearing and his younger sister, Lila (Mariah Pharms), plays with her dolls.
The two uncles, Paper (Bruce Lemon) and Chetty (Richard Nevels) don’t seem to have their proverbial “ish” together, which is something Hallelujah is acutely aware of as he asks: “Who’s gonna take care of us, uncle Chetty? We’re out of cereal and milk. Lila has a school project due. Who’s gonna take care of us? Who?”
While the film isn’t told from multiple points of view, it is framed in a way that allows the viewer to tap into everyone’s grief and perspective. All points are valid but also in conflict with one another. The flashback, which reveals the connection and source of the family’s grief, captures a pivotal moment with impassioned sensibility. Gabriel craftily combines the elements of both tragedy and comedy to hone in on the drama, emotion and bond that comes after an unexpected loss. A skill that stems from personal knowledge. “Hallelujah” embodies aspects of John Singleton’s Boyz in da Hood, but remains authentic to its own narrative.
Victor Gabriel is a writer-director who has turned to filmmaking as a way for him to wrestle with his own suffering as well as the suffering of others through the lens of humor. He holds an M.A. in Clinical Psychology and works as a marriage and family therapist with survivors of trauma in Compton, Watts, and South Central Los Angeles.
Director and screenwriter: Victor Gabriel
Producer: Duran Jones
Principal Cast: Bruce A. Lemon, Richard Nevels, Stephen Laroy Thomas, Mariah Pharms, Damon Rutledge, Maelina Gibson
