I'm not a Robot

"I'm Not a Robot" is a sharp, timely provocation that confronts humanity's growing dependence on technology while questioning the very essence of what makes us human. The story revolves around Lara (Ellen Parren), a music producer who, after repeatedly failing CAPTCHA tests, begins to doubt her own humanity. From this quirky premise, the film weaves a narrative that blends humor, tension, and a hint of melancholy, exploring the thin line between what makes us human and what draws us closer to machines.

Parren's performance is one of the film's standout elements. She portrays Lara with remarkable authenticity, shifting between frustration, doubt, and despair in a way that draws the audience into her existential crisis. The supporting characters, like Daniel (Henry van Loon), with his awkward shyness, and Pam (Thekla Reuten), with her detached coldness, serve as perfect counterpoints, amplifying Lara's sense of unease. These interactions effectively highlight the emotional isolation that often accompanies modern technology, reinforcing the film's exploration of human disconnection in the digital age.

From a technical perspective, "I'm Not a Robot" is flawless in its use of settings and soundtrack. The choice of locations, such as garages and stairwells, enhances the claustrophobic, introspective tone of the story. The inclusion of Radiohead's "Creep" brilliantly encapsulates the central theme: the dilemma of being special versus being easily replaceable. The unexpected ending is a final punch that leaves viewers reflecting uneasily on how technology shapes our lives and redefines human connection. This short film is a compelling and thought-provoking work that challenges the boundaries between fiction and reality in a truly memorable way.

If there were ever to be an award made for a relatable film, then this might just win it for me too. Those bloody "Captcha" screens that tell you to pick out the motor bike and yet never let you on - regardless how many goes you have! It's good to know it's not just me, though, as music producer "Lara" (Ellen Parren) finds herself in exactly the same predicament. Try as she might, it's not having it - it reckons she's clearly not an human. The IT man can't help - indeed his only suggestion is that she might, actually, be a robot! A slight contretemps ensues and that just gets her back to an unrelenting square one. Plan B. There's a questionnaire to fill out - but that's more of a psychological evaluation and the more it goes on the more it, and maybe even she, is convinced she's a bot! "I know, I'll call my boyfriend Daan". Surely he'd know? Assuming she can find somewhere quiet to chat with him, maybe she can become reassured? Then again, perhaps he might just make matters worse. The hand-held photography and the increasingly intrusive digital soundtrack start to help add a degree of intense menace to an already quite enthralling story that requires quite a few deep breaths all round as the ending provides us with quite a few unexpected twists! Worth a watch, I'd say.

So, this is basically the first act of COMPANION (2025). The fact that these two movies came out around the same time makes me wonder how the interconnectedness shared by people all over the globe has turned us into a hive-mind of sorts. The increasingly dystopian world we're living in is making us respond to the same conundrums.

The short is pretty entertaining; the 20 minutes go by at a brisk pace. You may think of it as a short episode of Black Mirror. The actor who played the protagonist really sells her character. After a while, thanks to the conviction with which she plays the character, you kinda start expecting the story to run the length of a feature film, which, I guess, is the best compliment one can bestow upon a short. But as a high-concept story, the central idea of the film definitely lacks the novelty factor, especially considering the slew of films involving AI we've been seeing come out lately.

At the heart of this subtle sci-fi short is the question so many of us ask ourselves (even if only in the dark corners of the mind), which is: Do I belong here. "Here" could mean work, among friends, in your family, with a lover, in your community, or maybe even the "here" of anywhere. Do I deserve to be here as a living, thinking, entity? So many people in one's life can undermine our simple birthright of existence, whether parents, teachers or others, and but rarely would you so suddenly face such an existential crisis as Lara does in this compact but very effective story.

What especially reinforces the central theme of "Am I human?" is the way that throughout the film she is almost never allowed to be alone. Coincidence by virtue of a busy office? Or is everyone else in the the "truth" but her? Both the editing and cinematography do a great job of leaning into a growing claustrophobia as the story unfolds, all of reinforced by a kind of corporate HR vibe that is fairly dehumanizing in itself.

"I'm Not a Robot" is a sharp, timely provocation that confronts humanity's growing dependence on technology while questioning the very essence of what makes us human. The story revolves around Lara (Ellen Parren), a music producer who, after repeatedly failing CAPTCHA tests, begins to doubt her own humanity. From this quirky premise, the film weaves a narrative that blends humor, tension, and a hint of melancholy, exploring the thin line between what makes us human and what draws us closer to machines.

Parren's performance is one of the film's standout elements. She portrays Lara with remarkable authenticity, shifting between frustration, doubt, and despair in a way that draws the audience into her existential crisis. The supporting characters, like Daniel (Henry van Loon), with his awkward shyness, and Pam (Thekla Reuten), with her detached coldness, serve as perfect counterpoints, amplifying Lara's sense of unease. These interactions effectively highlight the emotional isolation that often accompanies modern technology, reinforcing the film's exploration of human disconnection in the digital age.6 /10 Those windows though

Road to the Oscars 2025. This is nominated for 1 Oscar, best short film.

This was a fun concept short that fits right into the Hollywood agenda at the moment. Humanizing computers and AI. While it works it never really leaves the realm of just okay, as it doesn't really explore more than the surface of the concept it is framing. There is also some logical flaws to the concept.

Lara, a music producer has a hard time saving her project since she can´t get past the "are you a robot" segment on her PC. She must ask herself "Am I a robot?"

The whole premise and concept really vibed with me, the overall idea is fun and is used for laughs in the best way possible. A dark comedy that really shines through. Now the overall concept kind of falls apart as it seems like this is the first time Lara encounters a screen with "are you a robot?" in her life and that is just not possible in our modern life.