Room Four Memory - short dramatic anti-war film

Room Four Memory is a haunting short film by Canadian filmmaker Perry Mark Stratychuk, marking his first professional cinematic effort and film festival debut. Shot in 1979 on 16mm color movie film using a hand-wound Bolex camera, this atmospheric piece follows a travel-weary salesman who stops at a remote motel on a dark road—only to confront the shadows of his past.

This early independent film is notable not only for its evocative storytelling, but for its handcrafted production process. Stratychuk edited the picture and sound manually, cutting the film negative himself under a plastic sheet in a bedroom to protect it from dust before sending it to the lab for printing. The film also features his first use of electronic music for the soundtrack and employs Francois Truffaut’s “Day for Night” filter technique to simulate nighttime scenes—a bold stylistic choice for a debut.

Cast with family members—his father Donald Stratychuk as the salesman and uncle Paul Filewich as the Grim Reaper—Room Four Memory blends experimental visuals, personal history, and poetic symbolism into a compact yet emotionally resonant narrative.

Perfect for fans of vintage indie cinema, Canadian film history, and DIY filmmaking, this short stands as a testament to Stratychuk’s early commitment to storytelling innovation and cinematic craftsmanship.

Produced, directed, photographed, edited, and scored by Perry Mark Stratychuk

Copyright 1979-80 All Rights Reserved

Running time: 6:54

Award

• American International Film Festival 1980 - Bronze Medal