Naima Chebahi's 'Pretty' is a visual poem that tackles life in ways life itself is not capable of doing it. It is sharp, brutal, direct, cold blooded, exactly how poetry nowadays evolved to be. It was quite impressive to see it displayed so well, with such deep and powerful images that are prone to do what the mind isn’t capable in so many situations: to create the right visual medium that backs-up the spoken word.

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The story of this short is quite simple: sometimes beauty can go from being a gift, to being a curse, and by all means this is so true. The woman in this film presents her story, that at first may be so sweet and uplifting, but it goes on becoming quite grim and sad at some point. Poetry-wise, this turn of events is normal, giving the poem the right amount of breathing space to bounce back as a spring. A poem like this one is provoking, having a good rhythm and a nice impact on the public. For us it was like in that famous old saying: if you want to know your worst enemy, then put the mirror in front of your face and you shall see it. Coping with yourself is the hardest thing one can ever do, and ‘Pretty’ reminds us this through a full range of events one woman encounters.

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The repetition of the line “I’m pretty”, even in situations like the one where the woman’s hand is bleeding, empowers the self-esteem of the narrating voice making it more powerful and filled with wisdom. Also, the score of this short is breathtaking, highlighting the whole message of the poem. This kind of experiments should continue and we are willing to see them and deal with their inner story anytime, because they are the change people look for in this world, a small change, but it is a good start for a massive wave that we predict it will happen soon.  

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Written by Vlad A. G