Imagine you’re on your way to work and a drone tells you that you’re under arrest. While trying to figure out what’s happening, you are given the offer to plead guilty. At no point are you able to tell what exactly the crime is, or ask an actual human person for assistance!

This is the reality for our protagonist Mateo (Erick Lopez), who gets accosted while on his way to work. He arrives at the fully automated prison (under duress by a drone that promises “non-lethal action” for any noncompliance) and immediately runs into barriers to his freedom.

Please Hold is funny in that melancholy way where you either have to laugh or cry. It approximates a future that’s not so far removed from our own. It does so using wit, realistic sci-fi, and the maddening hold systems that many companies use today.

I 100% recommend this film. You feel Mateo’s pain all the way through and you empathize with his situation and feelings of helplessness. It’s shot so well and the conceit is used to excellent effect. Truly a remarkable effort.

Runtime: 19 Min