Phone Box is a short film by Alan Powell made in 2014. Shot in one location, the narrative presents stories from the lives of many different people, all connected by the same red phone booth (FILMSshort, 2016). The theme of the whole piece centers on the relationship between locations and people, as well as how simple objects can hold different meanings for different people. A phone booth, while built for a specific purpose, becomes subject to an array of human experiences, where the film characters experience joy, sadness, love and betrayal. Names or personalities of characters are made secondary to the overall message of the story, and its tone. Partially due to the limitations of the short film genre, a viewer is only able to see disjointed conversations and events. However, this presentation works well to support the overall meaning of the piece, and highlight the booth’s presence in many people’s lives.
For a mother seeking to reconnect with her child, it is a source of hope and a way of finally finding an answer for herself. For the man whose partner supposedly cheated on him, the booth becomes a way to reveal the truth, and also a silent witness to his anger. For a poor worker, the red booth is the only opportunity to make a life for himself in a world of turmoil. Each of these characters, and even a passerby that uses the booth to relieve themselves they all interact with the space they inhabit differently. Throughout the film, the audience sees the many signs of the booth’s use, its broken windows, graffiti, and worn-down walls. These visual cues become a way to recognize hundreds of other untold stories that are also connected with this space, and the variety of the human experience.
Reference
FILMSshort. (2016). Phone Box I Award-Winning Short Film I Alan Powell [Video]. YouTube.