PRESS
KAYA: Irish Cinephile Review
“The use of sound is very effective here, from Kaya changing the frequency on the channels, to the buzzing sound of a moth (at least I think it is) trapped in a web and, of course, what’s going in on the next room and how it corresponds with the cartoon that plays on the television in Kaya’s room. Shakira Barrera gives a really good performance as Kaya, particularly from a physical standpoint not just in the pivotal scene near the end of the short, but her fanatic expression of conflict of someone whose lost her sibling and looking to locate them, but also seeking revenge at the same time.”
KAYA: POP HORROR
“As Kaya, Barrera is an absolute powerhouse. She’s focused, fierce, and ferocious when she needs to be. It’s a terrific performance. All the other actors felt very authentic in this gritty film. I love the filmmakers’ use of cartoons and music to establish tone in an effective and unsettling way. This was one of those shorts that I wanted to go on longer. I genuinely wanted to know more about Kaya, to follow her to the conclusion of her search.
Despite the difficult subject matter, this is film that should be seen.”
KAYA: BATTLE ROYAL
“The use of symbolism between the central fight scene, of which we don’t see but instead hear, and the Looney Tunes cartoon that we do see is fantastic. The cartoon features a small bird being chased by two cats and ends with the tiny bird eating one of the huge characters.”
CONSOMME: HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
“Wry fictions with deadpan-abrupt endings are the norm here, but none of the entries are more efficient than Consommé, a nasty little anecdote about sexual assault whose punchline would be spoiled by just about any synopsis.”
“Catherine Fordham’s Kaya opens with striking sounds and images: massive 18-wheeler trucks, desolate highways, roadside motels, and ominous message exchanges among truckers through CB radio. The short film jumps quickly into its troubling plot: a young girl being trafficked among a crew of deranged, sinister truck drivers.”
CONSOMME: HUFFINGTON POST / CULTURE
“In a six-minute thriller culminating in a riotous rock score, we see a woman transform from victim to attacker. “Consommé” begins quietly, with a scene of a woman in bed, looking beat-up and tired. As she rises to face the day, she’s startled by flash backs from the night before; after a fight with a boyfriend, she walks home and is assaulted by a man on the street.”