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Currently Playing: FIREFLIES IN THE DUSK | Omeleto

A woman time-travels. Charlotte is a woman living in Victorian-era England. Zachary is an office worker bro living in the 21st century. But despite the distance in time, they've managed to maintain a long-distance epistolary romance, exchanging letters through a magical desk and cabinet. But when Charlotte's mother pressures her to marry, Charlotte escapes to the 21st century, followed by would-be suitor Cecil. But adapting to modern life proves tricky for the couple, who find themselves facing gulfs that go beyond time and space. Directed by Jonathan Hammond and written by Jonathan Hammond and Ryan Roach, this whimsical sci-fi short comedy is a lighthearted, genre-bending spin on the concept of a whirlwind romance between two people from different walks of life. Its elements of star-crossed lovers are classic, but in its mash-up of humor, high-concept comedy and an irreverent dash of time travel, it offers a modern and rambunctious take on the rom-com. Shot with an eye for brightness and the slightly absurd and a nimble sense of pace, the storytelling is witty, clever and just silly enough, quickly setting up its premise of two lovers who communicate across time through a magical desk, exchanging letters. Charlotte's missives are flowery and poetic, befitting her Victorian setting and upbringing, while Zachary's are full of bro-speak. Yet they cherish the sentiments and affection expressed -- and perhaps the excitement of having a secret romance to liven the dilemmas and boredom of their everyday circumstances. The conflict sharpens when Charlotte escapes into the 21st century, meeting Zachary in person and embarking on a real-life romance with him. She's followed by reluctant suitor Cecil, and both of them must adapt to the peculiarities of modernity, which makes for some of the film's best comedic flourishes and its sharpest observations on the peccadilloes of modern social conventions. Cecil thrives as modern life allows him to fully express and explore his identity as a gay man, but Charlotte has more difficulty, particularly as she and Zachary hit stumbling blocks of expectations and compatibility that are relatable to any connoisseur of modern relationship advice. Actor Emily Goss as Charlotte gives a vibrant performance that balances Charlotte's innate Jane Austen-like propriety with the believable dilemma of a woman who finds her illusions of love shattered by the reality of relationships. As she and Zachary -- played by actor Nick Ballard with a funny mix of frat boy and heartthrob -- truck through fights, incompatibility, couples counseling and other contemporary situations, they have to confront whether they really belong together. An affectionately loopy mix of Regency romance and time-travel farce, FIREFLIES IN THE DUSK covers a lot of narrative ground, bubbling and fizzing along to a wonderfully absurd conclusion. Yet with its surehanded direction and performances that skillfully balance genuine character and emotion with broadly drawn comedy, it never suffers from feeling like too much material shoehorned into a short format; in fact, its willingness to puncture the neatness of "happily ever after" gives it a relatable, even poignant edge. And in its willingness to be bawdy, rowdy and even bloody, it rewards fans of adventurous comedy and left-field romance with a truly unique story, told in a lively and distinctive way that will, at the very least, make us grateful for modern hygiene. FIREFLIES IN THE DUSK. Courtesy of Jonathan Hammond at https://instagram.com/firefliesinthedusk.