Being in lockdown or quarantine has done some strange things to people. Obviously, many of us are frustrated and bored, wondering when a COVID-19 vaccine will be available and we can return to some semblance of normality. For some, it’s also been a time when creativity has struck, specifically with some filmmakers such as Spike Lee, Jonathan Glazer, David F. Sandberg, and now, Riley Stearns, who have all created short films that try to encapsulate the myriad feelings that come with a global pandemic and being stuck inside.
Stearns is the latest to join the group, with his new film, “The Blanket.” And the 10-minute short ventures into a type of isolation and lack of emotional connection that comes with being stuck alone for extended periods of time, when the idea of a hug or a conversation at a restaurant with a new potential love interest are so taboo and foreign. Without giving away what happens in the short, the film ventures into some strange places (not unfamiliar for those who like Stearns’ previous work) before ending in a way that is creepy, sad, and somehow deeply erotic.
Before “The Blanket,” Stearns was probably best known for his two previous features, “Faults” and last year’s “The Art of Self-Defense.” Both films are dark comedies that tackle interesting, sometimes serious subject matter in a way that is definitely fun but also sometimes enraging (such as the toxic masculinity in ‘Self-Defense’). So, it makes sense that “The Blanket” follows a similar path, at once being dark and somewhat depressing but also with plenty of absurdity and underlying humor that keeps you entertained.
In addition to writing and directing “The Blanket,” Stearns actually stars as The Man in the short opposite Madisyn Ritland as The Woman. It’s clear that the filmmaker was working with a very small crew on the feature, as is basically required by public health and safety guidelines.
You can watch the short below: