Charlie Kaufman follows the Jackals & Fireflies

With the likes of Adaptation,  Synecdoche, New York, and Being John Malkovich from his creative mind, you might expect a short-form piece from director Charlie Kaufman to err a little on the surreal.

However, with Jackals & Fireflies, his new short created in conjunction with Samsung, Kaufman leans closer towards the odic than the outlandish, documenting poet and performer Eva H.D. as she narrates her interactions and thoughts during her life in New York.

Created by Likely Story and ArtClass as part of Samsung's #withGalaxy campaign (from which Ridley Scott's latest branded short also comes), the film especially highlights the work of cinematographer Chayse Irvin, shooting on the Galaxy S22 Ultra yet giving the piece a handheld, 16mm feel.

Candid, dreamlike and full of little flourishes of surreality that remind us that it's distinctly Kaufman, this lovely piece is as much stylish art film as it is meaty branded content.