Identical twin sisters, Ani and Ale, are addicted to the popular teen-soap, ‘Runyon’, in particular, the dreamy star of the show, Johnny. But when they’re not binging, they’re drifting apart. “Binge,” created by Kevin Rios, is a short comedy about obsession, celebrity worship, and decaying sisterhood. Ale is at least able to maintain a relationship (though her boyfriend is close to a breaking point), while Ani is in even deeper — we never see her not looking at a screen, all she can imagine is being with Johnny. The scenes-within-scenes are perfect replicas (Johnny is played by real-life heartthrob, Brandon Flynn, from “13 Reasons Why”) and as the TV show and reality begin to merge in unsettling ways, it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Though the film uses much of the same formatting and style as a typical teen drama, it’s able to expand out of the box with a uniquely rolling rhythm and ever encroaching heaviness. “We haven’t had a real conversation in years” admits Ale, after detailing they’ve always had their battles. “When I was born, I was really white, and my sister was really red ‘cause she took all my blood in the womb.” Rios quietly slips in this detail and others elevating the film beyond superficial hybrid, into an exploration of corrosive relationships and a complicated sign of the times. We previously featured Rios and Anamari Mesa with their haunting “Maternal”, and also just premiered the lovers on the run tale, “Lola and Dallas” co-directed by Alessandra Mesa.

Written and Directed by Kevin Rios. Starring Alessandra Mesa, Anamari Mesa, Brandon Flynn, Alisha Boe, Constantine Malahias, and Cameron Hayes. Produced by Kevin Rios, Anamari Mesa and Brandon Flynn. Cinemetography Alex Marsh King. Production Designer: Anamari Mesa. Edited by Kevin Rios.