By: Amanda Guarragi
For all diehard moviegoers, this short film is definitely for you. At a young age Ross Munro loved movies, he saw Carlota Vivas on the big screen and fell in love. Not only did he love her, but he loved escaping into the universe she was part of. She was a Venezuelan star and Munro wanted to support her. In doing so, Munro made this documentary-style animated short film to show the day in the life of a moviegoer. Saturday afternoons meant everything to Munro and after sharing his childhood story through some adorable images, he explains how fans went to the movies on Saturday. Almost everyone can connect with this short film and Munro because we’ve all had one designated day to go watch a movie.
The animation was a nice touch, especially showing a young version of Munro heading to the theatre. There’s something almost magical about the whole experience when it is viewed from a child’s perspective. Munro has a fun, almost quirky tone when doing the voiceover and explaining the inflation rate of actually heading to the movie theatre. It’s almost impossible to believe that it cost one dollar to go to the theatre with transportation, snacks and the movie ticket included. Munro makes the viewer feel nostalgic because of how it was before, and how different everything is now. It used to be a Saturday afternoon trying to find something different to watch, or going to watch your favourite actor on screen. And now, it has become an event, where people may go to the theatre once a month.
Munro was able to bookend his short film quite nicely by sharing his personal life with audiences. When Munro shared that he was able to get Maria Carlota Vivas to produce this short film, it was something special. It felt like the audience went on a journey with Munro in such a short period that it felt rewarding. It’s important to integrate personal stories because it then makes audiences feel connected to the characters and the work. That is exactly what Munro did with The Moviegoer. It’s sweet, sentimental, and quite funny. He was able to highlight the important moments of his life that could very much parallel any other diehard cinephile.
The Moviegoer is a lovely short film highlighting the experiences of growing up a movie fan. What it’s like to pick up your first camera, or fall in love with your first movie. Those experiences shape you into the person you become. And the movies you watch always hold a special place in your heart. Munro also speaks to the Canadian experience as becoming a hockey player at a young age was a must and it took away from his movie watching. There are plenty of actors out there, but movie fans have a select few whom they would run to the theatre for without batting an eye. Munro made something so special and deeply personal, that it feels like an honour to have watched this short film.
Candid Cinema 