In Naqqash Khalid’s debut feature, In Camera, a struggling British actor caught in a cycle of nightmarish auditions must decide how far he is willing to go to launch his career.
The opening scene finds Aden (Nabhaan Rizwan) on the ground playing a homicide victim in a TV series. Despite the minute scale of his role, for Aden it’s an exciting opportunity to share a scene with the lead actor. But the actor barely acknowledges Aden and when the scene is finished, Aden is led dismissively out of the building in his fake blood-stained clothes. He returns to his shared apartment where his doctor-in-training roommate, Bo (Rory Fleck Byrne), reminds Aden that rent is due.
With no other gigs lined up and money scarce, it’s back to the gruelling audition cycle for Aden. Trying to break into the UK film industry is no easy feat, and he diligently goes to audition after audition where he is subjected to humiliating processes. At an audition for a teeth-whitening commercial he is forced to wear a smile so exaggerated it alarms rather than entices. At another audition, he stands in a line-up of other Brown actors all uniformly dressed for inspection by the producers, who behave like they’re selecting treats from a buffet table instead of interacting with real people—all in the name of choosing “authentic Brown faces” for an ad campaign.
Meanwhile, Bo finds an additional roommate to help them cover their rental costs. The new roommate, Conrad (Amir El-Masry), is a suave up-and-coming fashion and lifestyle ambassador and also a person of colour. Conrad tries to bond with Aden over a shared sense of identity and remarks on all the opportunities coming their way now that the world is shifting to seek out diversity; but where Conrad is optimistic and thriving, Aden is suffering, and his disheartening experiences with racism are a far cry from what Conrad envisions for them.
Aden develops feelings of resentment toward the confident and successful Conrad, particularly as Conrad attempts to bring Aden into his business with offers of modelling employment. As Aden becomes more demoralized by his audition experiences and further incensed by Conrad, he begins shifting tactics. He shaves his beard to change his appearance. He agrees to pose as a grieving mother’s dead son at a family dinner, but the experience leaves him extremely shaken. Eventually, Aden begins mimicking Conrad.
This decision seems born in part from Aden’s resentment and jealousy of Conrad and also from a last-ditch effort to become someone of whom the industry will take notice. Throughout the film Aden remains a bit of an enigma, often presenting like a blank slate who adapts for each audition but is otherwise largely monotonous and resigned, particularly in his interactions with his roommates. But in his best performance to date, Aden’s persona radically changes as he embodies Conrad, complete with Conrad’s mannerisms, style, and easy confidence.
Written and directed by Naqqash Khalid, In Camera is a wonderful satirical film that strikes a great tonal balance and is usually clever in its pointed commentary on issues around racism and diversity in the film industry and beyond. The film also blends styles well, incorporating dreamlike sequences into the story in a way that largely feels organic. It also employs setup and payoff narrative techniques in an effective and comedic manner.
Brilliantly cast, the three lead actors give great performances. The dynamic of the roommate trio plays out very well to both comedic and dramatic effect. Rizwan in particular is fantastic to watch as Aden’s character develops throughout the film. We see Aden laboriously endure the audition cycle in hopes of finally landing his breakout role. We also see him struggle to reconcile with becoming part of a problematic system designed to “other” him.
The film’s pacing is solid, moving along with compelling narrative sequences between audition segments to relieve the audience from the audition cycle. Although we don’t learn much about the characters’ backstories, their relationships with each other are hugely engaging to watch as they shift and develop in different ways. Lighter comedic scenes are also interwoven effectively with heavier emotional pieces.
In Camera has its world premiere at this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival as part of the Proxima Competition.
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