Termite
From the Archives
•
Short Films, 27-Mar-2025
After a man receives notice he’s slated to be executed for no discernible reason, he looks for a ride to the injection site. Ian White’s “Termite” is a dark comedy bleakly reflecting on a seemingly arbitrary bureaucratic decision, and the universal dilemma of finding a ride. Hank receives the attached PDF in an email from the state of California. The upcoming execution is surprising and unfortunate — things were looking up for Hank, an upcoming promotion at Walgreens in particular. At the going away party the night before, there’s some tears shed and a hypnotic serenade from friends. The film’s tone and deliveries are deadpan and mildly Lynchian, a desolate portrayal of dystopia uniquely mundane and metaphorically resonant. -JM. Director: Ian White. Cast: Tristan Baer, Keyian Vafai, Hannah Levy, Anya Bernstein, Olivia Bagg, Jackie Green. DP: Samson Jeter. Sound: Matthew Ericson. Editor: Will Abbott.
Up Next in From the Archives
-
Reveries: The Mind Prison
Two mysterious drifters wander through the desert on a journey of self-discovery. The third film in the “Reveries” trilogy written and performed by Matt Barats and Anthony Oberbeck, “Reveries: The Mind Prison” is a psychedelic comedy full of absurd musings and visual abstractions. Graham Mason di...
-
The Pianist
A young mother waits for the family babysitter before leaving for a conference. “The Pianist,” directed by NoBudge hall-of-famer, Doron Max Hagay, is a showcase for the genius of Kate Berlant, playing Chloe, mom of three, eager to attend a “very well-known summit of artists and female creatives,"...
