Karl Jacob's Cold November was never made as a political statement but its relevance is evident. Telling the story of Florence, a young girl keen to undergo the rite-of-passage of her first deer hunt, Cold November explores femininity, gun ownership and living off the land, in a film that will no doubt strike more of a chord domestically than internationally.
The youngest of her matriarchal family, Florence is Cold November's beating heart. Played superbly by Bijou Abas in her acting debut, her character sees the first hunt as the transition from girlhood to womanhood, with the film's script exploring this milestone very effectively. It, on the whole, operates well in documenting this unique stage in adolescent development, in a family often overlooked by the silver screen and cinema in general. That Jacob's shines a light on such a disregarded section of American society deserves major props, and that it comes across so earnest is a valiant effort too; a testament to how personal this story clearly is.
There's a sophistication to the visuals often absent in independent features, with some truly striking imagery packed into the tight 91-minute feature. Benjamin Kasulke's cinematography makes fantastic use out of the cold, harsh middle America climate: the blood of the kills accentuated against the stark, snowy backdrop. It's clever, layered direction from Jacob who handles the ambience, atmosphere and tone well, while delivering a fine supporting acting turn for good measure.
My problems with Cold November come from something as small but crucial as a culture clash. It became difficult for me to connect emotionally with the story, unable to find empathy in a 12-year-old being gifted her first hunting rifle. While the more typical coming-of-age elements worked tremendously - a sense of identity, independence and empowerment are woven into the story efficiently - the story through which they were delivered left me feeling (if you'll pardon the pun) cold. I found empathy a difficult thing to generate and while the film does an admirable job of illustrating why the family hunts - sustenance rather than fun - and how it allows them to thrive, it nevertheless struggled to connect with me thematically.
Again, I'd put that down to a culture clash - having grown up in a very urban, landlocked area of the UK opposed to rural Middle America, where I could go my entire life without seeing a gun, nevermind feeling the need to own or be gifted one - and leads me to believe that perhaps the piece will connect better with domestic audiences than it did with me. What it does manage to do though is assert Karl Jacob as a strong director and Bijou Abas as a blossoming talent who has the potential to break through to a more mainstream audience after this impressively textured performance. Cold November may not have won me over entirely but there are many elements of truly strong indie filmmaking present.
Cold November debuts on iTunes on May 22nd in the US, with worldwide dates to be announced.