David Black reviews Benji Wragg’s short psychological thriller, “Answer Your Phone”
At 5:47 minutes in length, this film starts off quite ominously. Filmed in Frankston after dark, some of the setting is in an underground carpark that is devoid of people. Oliver Midson does well in conveying a feeling of anxiety and uncertainty.
I’m quite the fan of Darby Maxwell’s cinematography. He chooses some very interesting shots that help convey that feeling of dread. Coupled with Glen Cook’s lighting, you know that you are going to be in for some Alfred Hitchcock style suspense. The background music at times reminds me of The Exorcist/ Suspiria.
The film is intended to explore the negative effects of having an abusive partner and how that can destroy one’s mental health. The phone is used well to convey this, as it continually rings and makes our main character edgier as the film progresses.
One thing that is unique in this film is that it is a male that is the victim. It is all too easy to forget that men can be victims of abuse too, when so many films tend to highlight women as victims. This is a very gutsy move by Benji as that might not be so popular with some as he goes against the flow. Despite this, it has certainly won some awards, such as the Istanbul Film and Arts Festival and the Gully International Film Festival.
Answer Your Phone is a collaboration between Crazy Moo and Taymaynari Productions, who’ve brought out many great films. It is a great addition to their catalogue and you can view it for free on YouTube.
Here is the IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11680902/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm
You can watch the film here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH6MfmdhHsE