Director Nicolas Dozol presents a unique coming-of-age story in his feature-length film, Last Party. Utilizing one location for the duration of the 70-minute drama, Last Party incorporates intricate on-screen choreography and camera sleight of hand to capture a transformative night. Comprised of 28 long takes that give the illusion of a single shot, Dozol’s intention has a delightfully artful result. Last Party will have its World Premiere at the Chelsea Film Festival on October 20, 2024.

Teenagers Face an Unexpected Leveling Up

Last Party blends different cinematic genres, including mystery and drama, to tell the story of a life-changing night for four teenagers. While celebrating their recent high school graduation with classmates, they are all separately confronted with internal angst. They are suddenly faced with difficult truths and uncomfortable awakenings, which catches them off guard since they were expecting a fun-filled night of carelessness rather than a life lesson. At the film’s climax, the four teens find themselves accidentally locked in a room wondering if this awful night might be their last. Ultimately, they realize that facing these unmet needs will help shape them as they embark on the next chapter of adulthood.

The Camera Conveys Emotion

Appealing to fans of Euphoria, Last Party also doesn’t shy away from showing the more provocative nature of teenage liberation, including drinking, drugs, and random hookups. As the characters become more inebriated, the camera movements mimic their mental state. They too get more loose and fluid as if we the audience are experiencing their increasingly blurry state of mind. The production design succeeds in creating a party atmosphere, however, there are moments in the film that are awkwardly quiet, especially for a house party. The music, while pleasant to listen to, does a lot of the heavy lifting.

Takeaway

Last Party is not a typical coming-of-age story that has a conclusive ending. It seems director Nicolas Dozol would rather plant seeds of curiosity that give way to rumination than force-feed the audience a pre-packaged resolution. This leaves Last Party more open to interpretation. Five years in the making, with a shooting schedule of just five days, Last Party is an artful illustration of the sudden, and sometimes chaotic, transition from teenage to adulthood.