Where the Children Go to Play
DIRECTOR(s): Jada George
PROJECT TYPE: Narrative Short
GENRE: Sci-fi, Drama
COUNTRY: United States
RUN TIME: 15 min
CAST: Mason Bleu, Taylor Dudley, Shea Vaughan-Gabor, Brittany Quach, Payton Harbour, Paulo McCarty
In a chilling near-future, survival is no longer a right—it must be earned. Humanity is subject to a ruthless selection process, where only the most psychologically and morally “fit” are chosen to carry civilization forward. Inside a sterile, fluorescent-lit lobby, Sevyn and Solana—strangers bound by fate—await their turn.
Separated and ushered into individual interview chambers, they face not humans, but synthetic proctors—hyper-intelligent androids designed to evaluate with cold precision. What begins as a series of simple questions quickly devolves into intense psychological trials. Memories are weaponized. Beliefs are tested. The proctors simulate immersive, emotionally-charged environments to extract raw truths and expose hidden fractures in their identities.
As the assessments deepen, Sevyn and Solana are forced to confront unrelenting moral dilemmas about faith, violence, self-worth, and what it means to be truly human. With each answer, the line between survival and sacrifice blurs.
By the end, they emerge forever changed—marked with tattoos signifying their rare success. Solana is deemed genetically worthy to reproduce. Sevyn is chosen as a steward of the new world. When they return to the lobby, they realize they’ve been paired to help build the
future, whether they’re ready or not.
DATE: Friday, October 3
TIME: Shorts Suite 2 / 2:30 PM CST
