Review: short film ‘Filtered’ & creepy filters

One of the creepiest moments in last summer’s breakout hit Host occurs when Emma, the filter obsessed, walks into her living room to see an Alice Sweet Alice-inspired filter hanging in the air. It’s a quick sequence, but it’s so unsettling I think about it daily. A new short film called Filtered, directed by Vincenzo Nappi, which made its premiere recently at the the Cabane à Sang film festival, mines such playful, chilling blunders as its entire premise.

Jasmine (Jasmine Winter) calls up her pal Marco (Marco Carreiro) to catch up over video chat. Feeling down and out about her job, Jasmine, obviously a bit weary from the long work day, just needs someone to whom to vent about her troubles. Marco is ever the goofball, always switching up his filters — from evil Frenchman mustache to glossy drag queen to creepy old man. His antics, which also include taking the call while on the toilet (yeah, gross), always make Jasmine laugh. But as you might imagine, things go awry pretty quickly.

With a meager five-minute run-time, there’s little dilly-dallying to be had. While onscreen chemistry leaves much to be desired, never quite hitting like the casts of Host, Unfriended, and The Den, if we’re talking strictly laptop horror/found footage here, there’s enough of a squeamish payoff to satiate a quick thrill. Spirits, particularly of the demonic variety, certainly have a knack for manipulating technology. In short: we’re all fucked.

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