Transmission, written and directed by Varun Raman and Tom Hancock, is an abstract political short that uses its largely unspoken character dynamics to tell deliver a non-linear narrative about Post-Brexit Britain’s fall to authoritarianism. We open on a TV screen playing a hodgepodge of old commercials and agricultural b-roll to create an atmosphere of commodity and capitalism before cutting to our political prisoner Leonard ( Michael Shon ), who is left gagged in a chair with a noose around his neck. We are then introduced to our cheerful inquisitor Dr. Sam ( James Hyland ), a working-class gent with a chin-up attitude who won’t take no for an answer, least of all from Leonard, who we see from a split second look at his confession documents is a journalist who has been charged with lying and assaulting police.
After taking his picture, Sam sits Leonard down to a nice roast. As Leonard goes to place the food in his mouth, it disappears along with everything on his plate as he looks over to Sam who seems to have finished his meal some time ago. Such is the strange world of Transmission, where one minute Leonard is being strung up like a slaughtered cow and the next he seems to have been relaxing and sipping brandy only moments before. There is not much context that is easily ascertained here, with the director’s statement referencing Islamophobia, loss of freedom, and political accountability in relation to a short that could, outside of a few scenes that grant us some additional insight, come off as a generic hostage situation.
What we get is thought-provoking and I’m always excited to see horror and thrillers using the platform to convey something more prescient about larger societal issues, but I fear that by leaving things so abstract and dulling the pointedness of the critique, some of that potential is lost. Luckily, Transmission succeeds as a short outside of its message. Leonard spends most of his time in a daze, so a lot of time is spent developing Sam’s character and Hyland’s performance is disturbingly likable, giving the impression of a man fiercely loyal to a troubling regime for whom brainwashing and abuse of the regime’s enemies is a pleasant pastime. The visuals are particularly notable, being shot on 35mm with gorgeous detail and a muted, yet rich palette. There are moments in Transmission where I felt I was waiting for the next major plot point, but given the strength of Hyland’s performance and the technical excellence on display, I would say it’s worth your 15 minutes.
Check out the film at the official site.
