Jake Shannon’s short film Sammy the Salmon, shot by cinematographer Hossein Khodabandehloo, was reviewed as part of the Australian short film program at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) in 2019.
Review by James Cunningham.
Starring Liam Maguire and the voice of Mark Mitchell, Sammy the Salmon is a tale of a young man coming to terms with his sexuality. In a comic twist, he enlists the help of a talking fish in order to come out to his girlfriend. Directed by Jake Shannon and with cinematography by Hossein Khodabandehloo (both executive producers on the film), Sammy the Salmon is a fresh and humours take on the age-old coming out story.
Based in Melbourne, Khodabandehloo is a cinematographer primarily working in the advertising industry. In Sammy the Salmon, he seamlessly creates an environment for comedy, juxtaposing a beautifully bleak opening location, moving to the short’s second act before a stunning city backdrop and finally ending the film with warmth at its delicious conclusion. It is clear here that Khodabandehloo oceans of skill and talent in which to fish from.
James Cunningham is the Editor of Australian Cinematographer Magazine.