Experiencing Interruptions?

stupid smartphone therapy

The social impacts of various technological innovations are redefining the role of human relationships and communication in a growing globally connected and diverse digital world. Meet Serena, a biracial German teenager on a dream vacation to Canada with Henok, her smartphone addicted workaholic father. Serena's dream vacation is quickly tuned into a puzzling and challenging nightmare of personal conflicts involving smartphones, identity, belonging and jiujitsu.

  • Garmamie Sideau
    Director
    Mount Ephrem
  • Garmamie Sideau
    Writer
  • Tsegaye Degineh
    Writer
    Gentle Skill
  • Garmamie Sideau
    Producer
  • Tsegaye Degineh
    Producer
  • Saron Degineh
    Key Cast
    Alene Feeldbender, Theater- The Unfinished life of Addison Stone, Teen, TV- Spot Penny Nachbarschaft, Theater Antigone, Jess, Theater- Maria Niemand, Taitu, Film Gentle Skill
  • Tsegaye Degineh
    Key Cast
  • DJ Maclntyre
    Key Cast
  • Juanita Kwarteng
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Foreign
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 24 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 28, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada, Germany
  • Language:
    English, German
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Addis Film Festival
    Addis ababa
    Ethiopia
    May 2, 2017
    Special Selection
  • Barcelona Planet Film Festival
    Barcelona
    Spain
    April 30, 2017
    Winner best actress
  • SHORT to the Point
    Bucharest
    Romania
    Official Selection
  • Los Angeles CineFest
    Los Angeles
    United States
    May 9, 2017
    Semi-Finalist
  • Women's Only Entertainment Film Festival (WOEFF)

    United States
    May 19, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Berlin Short Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    July 1, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Near Nazareth Festival ( NNF)
    Afula, Nazareth
    Israel
    Finalist
  • European Cinematography AWARDS (ECA)
    Warsaw
    Poland
    Semi-Finalist
  • OUR VOICES Short Film Festival
    Vancouver
    Canada
    Finalist
  • Under 5min Film and Writing Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    Official Selection
  • Alternative Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    September 25, 2017
    Finalist - Best Cast
  • Alternative Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    September 25, 2017
    Winner Best Drama
  • FEEDBACK Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    January 25, 2018
    Official Selection
  • Canada Shorts - Canadian & International Short Film Fest
    New Brunswick
    Canada
    Winner Honorable Mention
Director Biography - Garmamie Sideau

Garmamie Sideau is an independent filmmaker, public affairs consultant and combat sports commentator/researcher. This Canadian artist is involved in various visual storytelling projects and he also works as a web communications and marketing advisor for clients in the public, private and not for profit sector. For the last 5 years Garmamie has been working on a long form documentary on the development of Judo and Ju Jitsu in Ethiopia.

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Director Statement

Stupid smartphone therapy is an experimental journey of a daughter and father's vacation abroad and their mutual and unhealthy relationship to their smartphones.

This unhealthy relationship to their smartphones is augmented by variety of personal and social themes such as: parenting, workaholism, a bi-racial cultural identity, the social need to belong and the value of self-defence.

Both daughter-father duo are confronted by a crisis as they're transplanted from various key landmarks in Berlin, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. The smartphone role is key to their understanding of themselves and their lives.