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Abbie Down East - A Small Film with Big Potential
shots are beautifully photographed, and more than likely, using nearly all natural light, giving the film a very authentic and non-Hollywood feel. The chosen location also provided a sense of isolation, a place that might be serene, but if suddenly left alone in this remote place in the eye of the most terrible storm of the century, it is easy to see how this place might become the enemy, as it does for young Abbie.
The fear and anxiety Verhoeff elicits from her audience is genuine. “Abbie Down East” is emotionally evocative as well as visually remarkable. It is a piece of art that as a student filmmaker myself, gives me something to strive towards. The awards this film has received have been well deserved. It is the kind of film that remains true to life; it is an extension of reality that captures moments for today’s audience that actually existed a hundred and fifty years ago. Verhoeff is modest about her success thus far, but this film shows she has what it takes as a director, and “Abbie Down East” is a tremendous achievement. If my student films are even half this enjoyable, I will know I have accomplished my money’s worth in film school.