Vimeo of the Week: Through The Middle
Through the Middle from Clouded Vision on Vimeo.
Clouded Vision’s Through the Middle is a wonderful and short documentary showing a barber shop and its decline. It is a bittersweet goodbye letter to another time and another place where industry and prosperity once thrived. It’s a perfect snapshot of what it’s like being a small business owner during a recession. Simon James Lane and Tom Sweetland’s film is profound and pint-sized. More on the film:
Through the Middle is an observational documentary, following the slow decline of an ageing barber and his business. Mr S faces the reality that he stands as the third and final generation to sustain a family business that has spanned a century. As he nears retirement, he reflects upon his achievements and confronts the reasons behind the recent downfall of his business.
Throughout the film, customers talk about the ever-changing city life. From a recent graduate looking for work, to a retired local who distrusts the social system, insight is given into an array of perspectives on a bleak and dismal landscape.
“Through the Middle” pieces these stories together, giving the viewer an insight to how people interact with the cities built around them.
