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RETCON

A thriller with a sci-fi edge. What if you seemingly had the ability to take back what you've done? Could everything be repaired, or are you digging your own grave?

  • Bensalem Mitchell
    Director
    Storm of Swallows (Music Video)
  • Matt Gillan
    Writer
    Tove, Salesman, True Faith
  • Jack Pollington
    Producer
    Sunday Dinner with the Morgans
  • Charlie Morgan
    Key Cast
    Voice of Reason, Lynx/Axe Commercial
  • Lara Honnor
    Key Cast
    Love Online
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Sci-Fi, Thriller
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 16 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 17, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    800 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Black Magic Pocket Camera
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • British Independent Film Festival
    Empire Cinema, Leicester Square
    April 25, 2015
    UK Premiere
    BEST ACTOR Nomination
  • Winchester Film Festival
    Winchester
    United Kingdom
    Best Hampshire Prize
Director Biography - Bensalem Mitchell

Ben's early steps into filmmaking began playing with a holiday camera making shorts in his spare time with his friends. Although he never took up an education in filmmaking, what was once a solitary passion became a hobby when the local council funded his first short film ‘Special Delivery’. From this point on Ben has joined a group of like-minded filmmakers and has worked closely with them ever since. Being part of many award-winning shorts such as ‘Hero’s Journey’, which did well at Screen Test and Watersprite and ‘4x4’, which won at Raindance. More recently, Ben has moved more into directing roles making his first self-funded short ‘A Ghost Story’ and his first music video ‘Storm of Swallows’ by Della Lupa. ‘RETCON’ is his latest film as a director but is still active in many roles as a filmmaker.

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Director Statement

RETCON, a thriller with a sci-fi edge takes references from American Psycho (2001), Donnie Darko (2001) and Upstream Color (2013) and is set to the visual aesthetic of David Fincher's films such as Gone Girl (2014). Imagine you had the ability to do anything you ever wanted and you could wipe it out like last night’s dream. That’s the power our protagonists possesses and uses it to disturbing effect.

As a filmmaker, I believe every story (when boiled down to the core points) has been told but what is limitless are the various ways to tell it. If an audience watches a film told in a different way, they will (within reason) accept the world and rules you show them. Films like 'Primer' (2004) by Shane Carruth are a great example in ways I would like to explore story telling. Giving you ambitious concepts that you immediately have to digest but tell them in a unique and intellectual manner. Watching a film again and again should give you more insight, not need to be a chore.

With RETCON, we are in the mind our main protagonist and therefore follow the story from his perspective. He justifies his actions because he feels he can control the consequences. Thanks to the way the film is shot, looks and sounds, I would like to think the audience understands that we are in his head first and foremost regardless if they agree with his philosophy.