The Covid-19 vaccine has arrived as a much-awaited blessing in the current world. Stuck inside their homes for the better part of the last two years, people around the world had rejoiced with the news of vaccine. However, there has been some skepticism regarding taking the shot, and “Take the Vax” revolves around one such skeptic, Mark.
As several cities have announced mandates, which make proof of vaccination essential for everyone to attend indoor venues and events, Mark finds it hard to lead his daily life, without getting the vaccine. He spots the vaccine propaganda all around him and tries to avoid and escape from it as hard as he can. But the looming figure of the vaccine shot follows him wherever he goes and everyone on the streets seems to know his truth. As Mark runs out of basic resources and cannot visit the supermarket without Vaccine proof, he comes to the realization that he is left with no other choice but to take the vax.
The film’s indicative opening shots pave the way for its unique narrative to unfold, playing sounds of news footages that announce the news of the vaccine and also the mandates. The film then moves to a shot of Mark sitting in a public area. Played wonderfully by Fesal Jaber, Mark’s journey from being a vaccine skeptic to a vaccinated person forms the centre point of this story and has been shown in the film superbly. The other main character of the film is the vaccine shot, played by Elijah Jaber.
At 15 minutes and 30 seconds, “Take the Vax” portrays people’s skepticism around vaccine shots perfectly, and how the essentiality of the vaccine needs to be understood by everyone. First-time filmmaker, Edsta has done an excellent job at showing what goes on in the mind of a vaccine skeptic. After moving to LA to pursue filmmaking, this young and talented director has been discovering his style in both filmmaking and cinematography. Along with the film’s lead actor and producer, Fesal Jaber, Edsta is the creator behind this thoughtful short film. Made within a budget of $8,000, “Take the Vax” has been brought to life by this talented team of two people. They have executed the entire process of this film’s making, from writing and production-planning to hiring actors.
Released in August 2021, “Take the Vax” is extremely relevant in the current scenario. The film brilliantly portrays the aftermath of these mandates, which keep the unvaccinated people out of indoor public venues, which are crucial to make people understand the indispensability of the covid-19 vaccine.
Director's Biography:
Edsta, born and raised in Romania, is now a filmmaker based in New York City. Since he was little, he always had a big passion for making movies. He would continuously watch the behind-the-scenes videos of each film on DVD, until he realized that filmmaking was all he ever wanted to do in life. During his teenage years, he started getting involved in every possible local film production he could get his hands on. At the age of 21, Edsta moved to Los Angeles to pursue filmmaking, where he quickly discovered his artistic style in both photography and cinematography, with the growth of his social media presence. Now that his first short film, "Take the Vax", is under his belt, Edsta and his production partner and friend, Fesal Jaber, plan to continue sharpening their writing and directing skills in order to make even greater movies in the future.
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