User Reviews

"The Secret Friend" was a well-made short film. It held my interest to the very end and it actually left me wanting to hear more of Anna's story. I'm glad that the film had a bit of a light, comical tilt, especially given the heavy theme of elderly loneliness. I initially guessed that Anna's secret friend was "supernatural" and was calling "from beyond." Those elements of mystery were what kept me most engrossed. Overall, I liked "The Secret Friend" but I wished that it had been longer. I still have some unanswered questions. Did Anna go onto making calls on her own? Did she develop a friendship with the elderly man on the phone?

The Secret friend weaves a tail of comedic mystery and leaves you pondering the question, "What does it mean to be alone?"

Veteran actress, Viola Harris (Sex & The City 2, The Other Guys) plays Anna Marshall, an elderly recluse living in New York. After the death of her husband the only company she keeps is a plant that lives in her window. The plant thrives in the confined space while Anna continues to exist in the world, rather than live.

Siobhan Fallon (Forrest Gump, Men In Black, The Bounty Hunter) plays Julie, a seemingly friend out of obligation to the lonely Anna. Julie drops in from time to time to check on Anna. The conversation is short and awkward as Julie sits on the edge of her chair. Silence punctuates the sentences.

As Anna continues with her day, pieces of her past stare at her as she muddles through life alone. She scrubs the dishes and goes to bed setting an alarm clock to rise for another day of nothing.

Much to her annoyance, she receives a phone call with a mysterious stranger. This call sets in motion a chain of events that will change Anna forever. Each day she talks to the silent stranger and each day she becomes more vibrant. She wears lipstick and walks with pep in her step. She's happy.

When the calls abruptly cease, Anna becomes frantic to find her one connection to her new life and we quickly learn that she has a few tricks of her own.

Filled with sadness, humor and a tinge of mystery, The Secret Friend takes you on an unforgettable journey and makes you realize that people talk—but rarely listen. Director, Flavio Alves brings you a startling honest film based on the short story by João Silvério Trevisan.

Have you listened today?

--Ryan Murray

It is not very often that media portray ANY perspective of senior living. I found it particularly refreshing (and courageous) that director Flavio Alves chose to depict the narrative of a readily overlooked segment of people in Western society.

"The Secret Friend" lends a rare glimpse into the mundane comings and goings of a lonely elderly woman, thoughtfully portrayed by screen and television veteran Viola Harris (Anna Marshall).

With the help of a cast that includes actress Siobhan Fallon ("The Bounty Hunter"), "Friend" is not carried by excessive dialogue. Rather, it allows the viewer to develop an organic reaction as the film unfolds, as Anna's daily outlook is quickly transformed from grim to propitious.

I expect to see "The Secret Friend" gather many nods as it makes it way through the festival circuit.

"The Secret Friend" is a co-production between Brazil and the United States and the former is mostly due to writer and director Flavio Alves. It runs for 13.5 minutes and tells us the story of an old lady who gets mysterious calls by somebody who does not say who he is or what he wants. But nonetheless she does not talk to the police or anything, but just keeps talking to the caller and tells him about her life and everything that is on her mind. As he keeps calling, we find out that there was no malicious intent on his side and that he may be just as lonely as his counterpart and likes listening to somebody speak. Until he makes one last call on New Year's Eve. Afterward, the lady tries to find out who he is before finally, in the very last scene, making another decision on how to keep going. I would say that this was a pretty positive film. There was a length here and there, but I still enjoyed it overall and they found the perfect way to close the movie that will inevitably pit a smile on your lips. Lead actress Viola Harris is still alive, even if she has hardly acted at all in the years since this film was made. She turned 90 this year. She also received some of the major awards attention for this one here, even if most of it went to Alves and I can see why awards bodies would enjoy this one. I give it a thumbs-up too. Nothing out of the ordinary, but still worth seeing. Solid work.