Now here's an indecent proposal. House Washington (Tyshawn Bryant, who also produced), a muscular and sweaty black basketball hustler, stands tall on 'his' basketball court until a lone white man named J.C. Matado (Daniel Sol) emerges, dressed to the nines and eager to challenge his boastfulness with an attractive proposition. The colour of their skin is crucial. Putting his expensive house, brand-new convertible, and $200K on the line (much more than what the thousand-dollar-a-game Washington is used to), Matado wants just one game with him. The only hitch is the most damning element of all; if Washington loses, Matado gets to take his life. Suddenly, the quaint and solitary baskbetball court nestled inconspicuously amongst trees and hills and overseeing a vast territory of mountains and plains becomes an isolated battle arena of mythic proportions. It's an all-out race war on display, fought by two warriors who are emblematic of hundreds of years of seething racial history and hostility in America.

That is the bold premise behind Shoot-Out, a startling new indie short film directed by David Branin that works as an artistic companion piece to Crash, this year's bigger-budget race movie. Unlike its hopeful counterpart, however, Shoot-Out offers a considerably more despairing viewpoint, jarringly brought to light in its resolution. In this battle to the death for racial domination, Branin and Bryant appear to suggest that there can be no peaceful resolution and that a winner must be declared.

Adding to the film's overall effect is its black and white palette, giving it an austere look and feel which underscores Branin and Bryant's allegory for white bloodlust and black adversity and resilience. (A colour version exists, planned for inclusion on the forthcoming DVD, though I think it lessens the impact of the original.) Finally, the two principal actors go for broke, demonstrating a ferocity and intensity beyond the call of duty that indicates definite skill and control in their craft. In all aspects, Shoot-Out is a first-class independent short and hopefully an indication of greater things to come from Branin and Bryant.

(Shoot-Out was produced by The Dream Regime and will be available on DVD soon. For more information please visit http://dreamregime.blogspot.com.)