By Mary Salis

In a cinematic landscape often dominated by the loud and the literal, SNIPPED dares to whisper, and somehow, it’s deafening. With a premise as razor-sharp as its title suggests, this Oscar-qualified short film by Alexander Saul slices straight into the absurdities of ritual, identity, and human connection, wielding brilliant comic timing like a scalpel.

Produced by Oscar-nominated Rebecca Pruzan and Danish powerhouse Kim Magnusson, and directed by award-winner Alexander Saul, SNIPPED is a deeply personal story told with universal bite. Based on Saul’s own experience as a Jewish convert undergoing a ritual circumcision at a Muslim clinic, the film deftly navigates a minefield of cultural tension and bodily vulnerability, without ever losing its sense of humor.

And what humor it is.

The comic timing in SNIPPED is nothing short of exceptional. Every pause, every awkward glance, every wince-inducing moment is calibrated with surgical precision. The absurdity of the situation, a sacred ritual turned uncomfortable standoff, is heightened not by exaggeration, but by restraint. Saul leans into silence, into the beat before the line, trusting the audience to live in the discomfort. It’s this masterful control of tone that elevates the film beyond satire and into something far more poignant.

Louis Bodnia Andersen, as Adam, delivers a performance that is at once raw and restrained. His nervous energy becomes the film’s emotional undercurrent, balanced perfectly by the almost disinterested calm of Imad Abul-Foul, as the Muslim doctor. Their chemistry is a slow burn, crackling with unspoken tension and unexpected warmth. The supporting cast, Ellaha Lack, Sami Darr, and Jan Karwowski, each contribute to the rich, offbeat rhythm that carries the film forward.

Visually, cinematographer Jonas Møller captures the sterile intimacy of the clinic with striking subtlety. The editing by Mira Thu respects the comedy’s rhythm, never rushing the moment, never lingering too long. Sound design by Mads Hølmer and original music from Henrik Goldschmidt and team delicately underscore the film’s surreal emotional pitch.

SNIPPED is more than just funny, it’s brave. It pokes at the soft underbelly of interfaith tension with a gentle but unflinching hand. It’s not asking for answers, only offering a space to sit in the discomfort—and maybe laugh a little while you’re there.

As Saul himself puts it, SNIPPED is not a plea, but a provocation. And in a time when comedy is too often neutered by fear or reduced to noise, Saul has delivered a daring, disarmingly human film that finds its punchline in shared awkwardness and its power in restraint.

No wonder it’s Oscar-qualified. With its brilliant comic timing, emotional nuance, and timely message, SNIPPED doesn’t just deserve to be watched, it deserves to be remembered.