Outfest: "Eitr" - Short Film Review
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn't exist.
In Eitr, Mohamed (Mostafa Shaker) is a wholesale perfume salesperson who has inherited his late father’s business. With Mohamed in charge, the store isn’t as busy as it once was. He spends most of his time watching old movies at the checkout counter because no one comes in to shop. One day, however, Lloyd (Guled Abdi) stops by to buy perfume. His presence throws Mohamed entirely off-kilter, and not just because he’s so used to doing nothing. Lloyd is cute and Mohamed is immediately smitten, but he’s very closeted. Through his conversations with Lloyd, glimpses of Mohamed’s true self slowly begin to peek through.
Eitr is a lovely balance between the anxiety of being closeted and the joy and levity of having a crush. It’s a fine line to walk, and most films that try to do both focus on the trauma of the main character being outed or heartbroken. Eitr is a magical realism joyride that revels in beginnings instead of endings. Mohamed’s joy and conflict over the course of this one day are simply the beginning of a new chapter in his life where he can be free of expectations that don’t match his desires.
courtesy of kyle credo
Writer/director Al-Hamaydeh Miller’s vision for the short film is gorgeously executed. The pop-up titles, production design, and spoofy opening sequence (a ridiculous perfume) all create a sense of warmth and humor. They set the stage for this simple story of a young man choosing to live for himself. While this sounds simple, it’s one of the most difficult decisions a person can make, especially when it may impact their family relationships.
The film’s title translates to “perfume, one’s scent or essence.” It refers to the shop Mohamed manages and to his own essence that he hides. He douses himself in a knock-off Polo Sport cologne in an effort to literally throw people off his scent. It doesn’t work, because being closeted is antithetical to his essence. It’s why Lloyd sees right through it and even though his mother (Hamsa Diab Farhat) is still trying to set him up with a nice girl, she tells Mohamed that she hates when he wears that cologne. Even his mom can tell that something about his performance isn’t adding up. The short film’s extended metaphor about the perfume is never heavy-handed, it simply lingers in the air as Mohamed and Lloyd stare dreamily into each other’s eyes. Eitr is instantly lovable, the kind of debut short film that’s a mark of an exciting beginning for Al-Hamaydeh Miller.
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