Rather than documenting the metaphysical, this film dives right in to the psychological and creative realm of the source for happiness to a misguided and ever-struggling mankind. Brace yourself, for you’re about to take a journey into the world of The Fourth Dimension, an unforgettable short film trilogy which takes us far beyond our usual comfort zone -- the traditional three-act formula so familiar to us. 

The film opens with Harmony Korine’s (Kids, Gumbo) The Lotus Community Workshop, where Val Kilmer projects a roaring, invincible, yet frivolous motivational speaker for an outlandish and childlike audience. The second chapter, Chronoeye, directed by Alexei Fedorchenko (Silent Souls) takes us to a small town in Russia where Grigory (Igor Sergeev), an award winning Russian scientist, believes he has found the fourth dimension through his newly developed time machine. And the third and final chapter presents Jan Kwiecinski, a new and refreshing voice, telling about Pace (Tomasz Tyndyk) and his friends who vandalize an empty town when they realize there is an incoming flood. Having nothing left to lose, they break into empty homes and shops while enjoying their last moments of freedom when they find a sickly, innocent woman who can’t get out of her house.

I found it refreshing to watch something that completely absorbed me into the space of action, while at the same time not knowing where I was going or would end up. Whether following Val Kilmer’s outlandish speech, Grigory’s far-out pursuit to perfect his time machine, or Pace and his group of friends who save the life of an innocent woman from an approaching flood, at the end I came away with a sense of wanting to see everything again, and with an inward whisper of my own self-reflection.

The films also accentuate a human duality which conflicts the outward image versus the inner self. Juxtaposed with Kilmer’s crazed persona for his crowd is a role reversal of power where this just-seen “superman” becomes a quiet, shy, and lucid man who meekly attempts to be with his sexy young girlfriend, who is obviously in full control of the situation. Likewise, Grigory -- perceived as a stoic ironman on the outside -- is a struggling, lonely old man with no love in his life. His only close female happens to be an upstairs neighbor he tries avoiding, which seems impossible to this small town celebrity until he finally gives in. Pace’s relationship with his friends and his girlfriend also defines an opposite duality. Their interrelationships are driven by lust, passion, envy and seduction to the very core of the vileness of human nature. But it takes a suffering human being in need to really rise above their cynicism and change their course in life.

While this type of film may not be for everyone, those seeking something a bit more unorthodox, experimental, and unpredictable will certainly not be disappointed.

The Fourth Dimension premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and San Francisco International Film Festival. It’s a co-production between Grolsch Film Works and VICE films. Grolsch, a Dutch beer distributer, gained fame for its lager in an iconic swingtop bottle. This is Grolsch’s first feature film designed to expand its creative spirit into the world of independent cinema in order to “promote and cultivate up-and-coming filmmakers, actors, directors and the genius that goes into making inspiring indie movies through funding projects and showcasing their work worldwide.”