Experiencing Interruptions?

PTPD - Put the Phone down

Jorge, a talented queer dancer, grapples with the isolation brought on by his social anxiety. Seeking solace one evening, he discovers an unexpected visitor in the form of a collared cat perched on his windowsill. This feline presence presents Jorge with a poignant dilemma: does he dare to venture out of his comfort zone to meet a stranger, or does he embrace the companionship of this mysterious cat as a new pet?
Intriguingly, Jorge decides to use his exceptional talent for movement as a tool for self-discovery and courage. Through dance, he conquers his fears, finding clarity and strength within the graceful cadence of his body's expression and he prepares himself for the pivotal phone call that will determine his choice.

  • Nicolas Karatzas
    Director
  • Nicolas Karatzas
    Writer
  • Kazanti Films
    Producer
  • Dance House Lemesos
    Producer
  • Wojciech Rybicki
    Key Cast
    "Jorge"
  • Fortuna The cat
    Key Cast
    "Fortuna"
  • Ester Machado
    Choreography
  • Mikaella Socratous
    Assistant Director
  • Chrysanthi Badeka
    Script Advisor
  • Giorgos Charalambous
    Script Advisor
  • Eric Jeffrey Macalik
    Voice Over Actor
  • Elena Lanza Fernández Fernández
    Extras
  • Marco Esteban
    Extras
  • Lambros Asvestas
    Extras
  • Perdo Siammas
    Extras
  • Stephanie Stylianidou
    Extras
  • Elina Karacosta
    Extras
  • Mártin Tóth
    Extras
  • Finja Feuchter
    Extras
  • Anastasia Demetriou
    Extras
  • Thanos Papavlasopoulos
    Extras
  • Dimitris Karatzas
    Grip
  • Chrysanthi Badeka
    Production Mentoring
  • Mikaella Socratous
    Art Direction / Set Design
  • Marilia Luna Paraskeva
    Set Design Assistance
  • Marilia Luna Paraskeva
    Production Assistance
  • Kazanti Films
    Edit / Colouring
  • Alexandros Christofides
    Sound design / Scoring
  • The Athens Portal
    Mixing & Mastering
  • Stavros Zannetos
    Voice-over Recording
  • Marcos Esteban
    Motion Graphics
  • Emily Demetriou
    Special Thanks
  • Mini-market Al Waleed
    Special Thanks
  • Swimming Birds Bar
    Special Thanks
  • Project Type:
    Other
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 10, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Cyprus
  • Country of Filming:
    Cyprus
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Nicolas Karatzas

Nicolas Karatzas is a cinematographer whose work focuses on Documentary and Fiction films with Ethnographic characteristics. He studied Multimedia and Graphic Design at Cyprus University of Technology and, later on, graduated from the University of the Aegean in Cultural Documentary Production (MA). He has worked with international companies in advertising productions and has a strong arts and design background with an interest in audiovisual communication. His film work is distinguished by a human-centered approach and narrative. His work focuses on human rights, as well as on social-political and environmental issues.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Jorge is an antihero, an everyday human being trying to overcome his social anxiety. His loneliness and confusion are expressed while he trips and worries about social interaction, during everyday activities. A snorricam rig was used to express his discomfort as we followed him in the city of Nicosia. It expresses his social anxiety and his fears in a visual way as someone is watching his every thought and action.

When Jorge enters his personal space, Jorge appears in a safe space. The act of dance eliminates his fears and takes off the weight of anxiety he carries in the outside world. He uses movement in order to be human again, feel comfortable in his body, to share affection and love.

"PTPD - Put the Phone Down" is a Fictional narrative short film with Ethnographic characteristics obtained from the gaze of queerness and fluidity in the city of Nicosia, Cyprus. The characters, stories, and locations maintain a form of an essay toward the culture that the film expresses.