In modern cinema, changing an aspect ratio mid-film is usually a pretentious gimmick. It is a director waving their hands, desperate to prove they have a visual style. Trey Edward Shults, however, utilizes shifting aspect ratios not as a flourish, but as a structural weapon. In his $30,000 debut feature, Krisha, the shape of the frame is the antagonist.
The Economy of the Living Room
Shults eliminated the ruinous overhead of traditional filmmaking by shooting entirely in his own home over nine days. He did not hire actors; he cast his actual extended family, including his aunt in the agonizing lead role.
This hyper-intimate environment demanded a camera that felt like an intruder. Working with cinematographer Drew Daniels, Shults abandoned traditional coverage in favor of long, wandering takes heavily inspired by the raw, character-focused naturalism of John Cassavetes. The camera observes the family Thanksgiving not as a neutral party, but as a participant locked in the house.
The Shrinking Frame
But the true genius of the film’s visual language is its mechanical reflection of Krisha’s psychological deterioration. The film opens in a standard 1.85:1 aspect ratio, establishing the geography of the house and the tenuous peace of the family.
As Krisha’s anxiety builds and she slips toward relapse, the frame snaps to an anamorphic 2.35:1. The horizontal stretch disorients the viewer, simulating the chemical and emotional distortion of her mind. Finally, as the family turns on her in the harrowing final act, the frame violently constricts to a boxy 1.33:1. The widescreen space is stolen from her. The walls are literally closing in. It is a masterful, terrifying use of formatting to dictate emotion.
Insights regarding Trey Edward Shults’ micro-budget family casting and the psychological use of shifting aspect ratios were synthesized from interviews in No Film School and Film Independent.