Ron Foley Macdonald’s debut feature film, Shadow In The Mirror (made as part of the Cinema 902 series), was recently selected by the Monkey Bread Tree Film Awards in the United Kingdom, and also received the following review:

Ron Foley Macdonald writes and directs Shadow In The Mirror – an eerie, self-contained, isolating, creepy, snowy, strange and wonderful thriller.

There are windows. They look out, but we are looking in. The house looks warm, but one can’t help and wonder – is it?

Holly Stevens steals the show. She’s got this great energy about her. Her work is dynamic and well timed. And so is Macdonald, whose film seems entirely encapsulated with her. In fact, one can’t help but feel that perhaps the two are intertwined – that they are as equally sharp and tone sensitive as each other. Together, this little dance of danger is fulfilling and very enjoyable as a viewing experience.

I kept thinking of Atom Egoyan whilst watching this film. That’s a massive compliment coming from me. The Canadian auteur is often overlooked, and his style – which often is built around a sort of post-Lynch Lynch narrative device of mystery and chaos a memory and calm spaces is quite fantastic. Shadow In The Mirror has a taste of this – it is a sort of experiment in terms of minimalism, as well as a dark and intrusive film that focuses on isolation, individuals in the harsher outskirts of non-city life, and the psychology of these varying elements.

The only small remark I have that isn’t positive is this: the film, with its edgy narrative and idea, didn’t seem to let its style get out of control. We never really felt the tone shift into something more than what it established.

This is at the end of the day a very competent film, and quite recommendable… and bound to be followed with more edgy and enticing projects from Macdonald, who has a great eye for detail, textures and tones.