Is
technology stronger than social tradition and family expectations? That question will be put to the test when
two aspiring filmmakers fall head-over-heels in “like” via online video
messages in James E. Duff’s Hank and Asha
(trailer
here), an
Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival.
Hank
had a short film accepted at a Czech film festival. Asha saw it there. She is studying at a Prague film school for a
year, before returning to her regular life in India. Something about Hank’s film prompted her to send
him a video message. Something about her
question convinces Hank to respond in kind—and so on and so on. Soon their long distance flirtation becomes
surprisingly serious. However, the
inconvenient realities back in India drastically complicate any future they
might have together.
The
scenes filmed in Prague nicely capture its beauty and vibe, making viewers want
to visit the city again. The New York
scenes did not seem to have the same effect (but to be fair, I was only in Park
City for a week, hardly enough time to get homesick). Regardless, the sense of place and
displacement are a big part of what distinguishes H & A.
H & A is sort of like
a hipster updating of sentimental favorites like A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters. Dramatically, it works relatively well
because of its realistically appealing leads.
Andrew Pastides is not afraid to look silly as the somewhat nebbish
Hank. He also forcefully depicts the
heartsick desperation of a smitten party with no leverage to make their sort of
relationship work. Mahira Kakkar has a
pixie-like charm as Asha. However, Duff
and co-screenwriter Julia Morrison have her doing things that do not really
make sense in light of her full situation.
Still, both co-leads definitely convince viewers each has a deep emotional
attraction to the other, despite never appearing in the same scene together.
