Divertimento: An Award-Winning & Twisty Ensemble Thriller

I was recently given the opportunity to check out a short film that has been running through the festival circuits for the past couple of years called Divertimento. It’s a thriller by French production studio Amitice about a man caught in an usual game at a castle where things may not be what they seem. It stars Kellan Lutz (The Twilight Saga), Torrey DeVitto (Pretty Little Liars, Chicago Med), Ola Rapace (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets), Ellie Haydon (Harlots), Gotz Otto (Tomorrow Never Dies), and Christian Hillborg (Fleabag).

It’s worth noting that this highly stylish, well-produced short film was written and directed by Keyvan Sheikhalishahi, a 25-year-old who made his directorial debut when he was 16 with a film called Turba (2014). I’ve only now heard of that film after researching Keyvan once I finished Divertimento. What he’s accomplished already at such a young age is incredibly impressive. Not just because he is able to have a feature film and a couple of short films under his belt while such a young adult, and not because this short film alone won 53 festival awards, including the 2021 Grand Jury Prize at the Seattle Film Festival.

What’s impressive is the work on the screen. It’s a story with twists and turns, compelling performances by its cast, and it looks really fricken good! Amateur hour, this is not. It’s only a matter of time before a major British or Hollywood studio takes notice and rings up this young man for a major project.

Divertimento is a short film, running at roughly 30 minutes, and it is full of twists and keeps its audience on its toes throughout majority of its runtime. So, there’s not a lot of specifics I can say about its story. However, I will say the definition of divertimento is “a musical genre, with most of its examples from the 18th century. The mood is most often lighthearted (as a result of being played at social functions) and it is generally composed for a small ensemble.” While the tone of the film is anything but playful or lighthearted every element of that definition does play a role in the story, including the fact that it was filmed at an 18th century French castle.

There are bits of clunky dialogue here and there. The stage for the story is set when someone asks another, “Imagine the most heinous crime ever committed. What would that be?”. I’m not entirely sure that pays off when all is revealed. And not all of the pieces completely click together satisfyingly. But as short films go this is a bit like if Christopher Nolan were to direct a James Bond film. There’s a lot of ideas packed in to a story where everyone is dressed to the nines, guns are shot, bodies drop, memories are fuzzy, and a game of chess figures prominently in more ways than one.

I think this is a promising calling card for an up-and-coming talent. Get to know Keyvan Sheikhalishahi before the world does. Check out Divertimento.

You can see the film during the next French James Bond Club's event in Paris on Sept. 30. Sheikhalishahi, Ola Rapace, and actor Julian Glover will be guests during the event with Divertimento being the only film screened that day. Information on the event can be found at: https://jamesbond007.net/produit/evenement-villains-are-forever/ Otherwise, the best way to view the film online is to email amiticecontact@gmail.com - just be sure to mention this review.

7/10