BLACK SHEEP aka "Schwartzes Schap" 2016
This impressive short is a real nasty jewel of a war film. The 57 minute quickie was written, produced, edited, scored and directed by newcomer, Mitchell James Huberty. It looks like Huberty put his whole family to work on this production. Other than one or two professional actors, the production was made by amateurs. And they all do a hell of a job!
The film is set in the summer of 1943 in the deep forests of eastern Poland. A small detachment of SS troops are on an anti-partisan sweep through the country side. Their enemy are Polish partisans and a few Soviet Red Army soldiers that were left behind during the retreat of 1941.
The film focuses on one particular SS private and one particular partisan. Both their background stories are similar and both would rather be elsewhere. The daily grind for the SS troopers is checking the homes and farms of the locals. Whenever evidence of anyone aiding the partisans is found, it is up against the wall for a firing squad. For the partisans, it is raiding German supply trucks and ambushing the opposing forces.
The locals are caught between the old rock and a hard place. The Germans shoot them if they help the partisans, while the partisans do likewise if they collaborate with the Germans. For the most part, the SS types are the winners in the battles in the woods. This anti-partisan war was a particularly nasty conflict with no quarter given by either side.
What really stands out here is the attention to weapon and uniform details. All are accurate to the period. There is also no English spoken in the film. It is all German, Polish or Russian which adds to the film's dramatic impact. The look of the film is top flight with the battle scenes in particular standing out.
Other than actor, Jeremiah Turner, there is not a soul I recognize in the film. Director Huberty also plays one of the major roles in the film. If this was a film school project, then it is a barn-burner of a success. Huberty is destined for big things if this is an example of his skill.
Well done by everyone involved.
This impressive short is a real nasty jewel of a war film. The 57 minute quickie was written, produced, edited, scored and directed by newcomer, Mitchell James Huberty. It looks like Huberty put his whole family to work on this production. Other than one or two professional actors, the production was made by amateurs. And they all do a hell of a job!
The film is set in the summer of 1943 in the deep forests of eastern Poland. A small detachment of SS troops are on an anti-partisan sweep through the country side. Their enemy are Polish partisans and a few Soviet Red Army soldiers that were left behind during the retreat of 1941.
The film focuses on one particular SS private and one particular partisan. Both their background stories are similar and both would rather be elsewhere. The daily grind for the SS troopers is checking the homes and farms of the locals. Whenever evidence of anyone aiding the partisans is found, it is up against the wall for a firing squad. For the partisans, it is raiding German supply trucks and ambushing the opposing forces.
The locals are caught between the old rock and a hard place. The Germans shoot them if they help the partisans, while the partisans do likewise if they collaborate with the Germans. For the most part, the SS types are the winners in the battles in the woods. This anti-partisan war was a particularly nasty conflict with no quarter given by either side.
What really stands out here is the attention to weapon and uniform details. All are accurate to the period. There is also no English spoken in the film. It is all German, Polish or Russian which adds to the film's dramatic impact. The look of the film is top flight with the battle scenes in particular standing out.
Other than actor, Jeremiah Turner, there is not a soul I recognize in the film. Director Huberty also plays one of the major roles in the film. If this was a film school project, then it is a barn-burner of a success. Huberty is destined for big things if this is an example of his skill.
Well done by everyone involved.
