Totems

Directed by Arthur Cahn

When Bastien dies, his group of friends decide to get hold of his sex toy collection before his mother finds out. This is a story of friendship, love and farewell.
Grief, sex and friendship are allowed to sit beside each other without behaving politely in Totems. Arthur Cahn finds humour inside loss without using one to cancel the other, and that balance gives the short film far more emotional range than its running time suggests. The writing is particularly strong when affection becomes complicated rather than reassuring; these characters care deeply and still manage to hurt one another.

Totems

Directed by Arthur Cahn

When Bastien dies, his group of friends decide to get hold of his sex toy collection before his mother finds out. This is a story of friendship, love and farewell.

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Our Review

Grief, sex and friendship are allowed to sit beside each other without behaving politely in Totems. Arthur Cahn finds humour inside loss without using one to cancel the other, and that balance gives the short film far more emotional range than its running time suggests. The writing is particularly strong when affection becomes complicated rather than reassuring; these characters care deeply and still manage to hurt one another.