N25
2009, 10 minutes
On a London nightbus, passengers face their moral dilemmas when confronted with danger in the form of gender violence
Bystander society, mutual responsibility, repression and absolution are explored by passengers on a London nightbus 'minding their own business'. A young woman, Nellie, sitting at the back of the bus after a night out with her friend, starts to flirt with a young man, Jeremy. At first in control of the situation, she becomes more alarmed when Jeremy grows more agitated and forceful, as the bus drives through the night. The passengers take more notice and wonder how serious the situation is, and if they should get involved. An older woman, Jacqueline, urges a sleepy passenger, Abraham to find out how serious the situation is, but he assures her that everything is fine, though he is hearing differently. Freddy and his teenage friends respond through ironic commentary of the situation. A young woman, Rachel, sees the most, but says the least, deciding it's not her business. Meanwhile, Nellie looks more and more uncomfortable, as Jeremy grows more aggressive. At Jacqueline's behest, Rachel tries to intervene, but she sees something she wishes she didn't. One by one, the passengers' concern turns to self-survival, as they decide whether to get involved or to leave the bus.
