The call

2016, 12 minutes

news obsessive finds himself at the centre of the story

At home in his apartment, THE MAN obsessively cuts out stories of war and terror from newspapers while the TV news blares. He meticulously tapes the cuttings to the walls of his living room, which are already covered in hundreds of articles. A ringing cuts through the sound of the TV and, after fishing through the sea of papers carpeting the floor, the man uncovers an old style telephone and lifts the receiver. The call is from THE AUTHORITY, who tell him his city is under attack, and that he should lock all doors and windows for his own safety. He complies, sealing himself in, then continues to cut out newspaper headlines and monitor scenes of riots and upheaval on the TV and online. He receives another call from the Authority, warning him of contamination of the water supply, and his panic increases. As the sound of conflict, outside grows louder and he receives yet more calls. Wearing a gas mask for protection and plunged into darkness following a power cut, he can finally take no more. Yanking the phone from its socket he tears down the tape sealing the door and heads outside to see what horrors await him. But instead of the carnage he’d been shown on the news, the man instead finds himself faced with an ordinary street scene. In shock, he removes his gas mask and staggers off down the street, not noticing his neighbour returning home next door. Shortly after the neighbour enters his own flat, he starts to tape newspaper to his own window, while from within a telephone begins to ring…

---