Directed by Tom Koch | Starring Lesley Ann Warren | Produced by Astrid Lark & Andrew Carlberg

OLIVE is a tender and haunting meditation on memory, love, and the quiet erosion of identity that accompanies Alzheimer’s. Anchored by a luminous and deeply human performance from Lesley Ann Warren, the film captures the devastating beauty of holding on, even as the mind begins to let go.

Director Tom Koch, in his most ambitious work to date, balances poetic visual storytelling with emotional restraint. His vision is realized through the collaboration of an accomplished producing team, including Astrid Lark, whose refined storytelling instincts bring depth and warmth to every frame, and Andrew Carlberg, the Academy Award, and Emmy-winning producer behind Skin and Feeling Through. Together, they ensure OLIVE achieves both emotional intimacy and cinematic sophistication.

The cinematography by Guillermo Cameo bathes each frame in a soft melancholy, while Hillary Carrigan’s subtle editing mirrors the fragmentation of memory itself. Chris Hynds’s costuming and Joanna Davis’s casting lend texture and authenticity, enriching the emotional realism that defines Koch’s filmmaking.

What makes OLIVE stand out among this year’s Oscar-qualified shorts is its emotional precision. Koch doesn’t rely on sentimentality; instead, he crafts an experience that lingers, a slow unraveling that feels both personal and universal. The supporting cast, including Marie Louise Boisnier, Jeffrey Farber, and musician Tómas Doncker, deliver performances that complement Warren’s delicate portrayal with grace and truth.

With its award-winning design, growing festival acclaim, and the creative synergy of Koch, Lark, and Carlberg, OLIVE affirms itself as one of the most affecting short films of the season — a poignant reminder of how love endures, even as memory fades.

★ ★ ★ ★ ½ (4.5/5)

Mark Damson