In a dimly lit, rustic coffee shop with walls of deep mahogany and hints of golden reflections, an old woman sits alone at a large round table, intricate carving poking out from underneath an assortment of antique tea sets. The scene feels just a touch off-balance to emphasize her loneliness. The background holds a mellowed, blurred chatter while the audience’s focus remains trained solely on her.
In a high-angle shot, we look down on a large, intricately designed bird cage that sits on the table next to her. Inside, a majestic falcon fixes a beady eye on a single, plump worm, squirming at the end of a silver dish held by the woman. She feeds the bird gently, maternal care painting her worn features.
The window across captures the outside world in a mirror-like fashion, bathing the scene in a cold, blue hue. Beyond the glass, we glimpse Pacific waves crashing onto a sandy stretch, embedding the whole scene with a sense of scenic tranquility and an ambient sound of smooth, rhythmic surf. A handful of fishermen cast their lines into the ocean, silhouetted against the dying light of the day. The viewer should feel as though they can almost taste the chill of the incoming tide and hear the caw of seagulls accompanying the whisper of the sea breeze.
A deliberate zoom out transforms our perspective, revealing the entire coffee shop, teeming with life. It’s a mix of instant realism and surrealism, making the audience ponder over the mysterious connection between the woman, her bird, and the fishermen clad in their rugged attire, lost in a dance with the unyielding sea.