Stephen King once claimed that a good novel is like a satisfying affair, while a short story is more like a quick kiss in the dark. The same can apply to both feature-length and short films. With Lyndon Horsfall’s Dead Air, the kiss is quick enough to leave you mesmerized while also making up for the film’s few shortcomings.

The story follows underground DJ Eve St. Tilly, played by Jennifer Gough, on the day of her show’s last broadcast. When a strange fan (Torin Langen) she’d previously met on her way to work shows up insisting that she and her co-host Adam (Ryan Leandres) play their band’s record, things take a sinister, apocalyptic turn.

Despite an extremely modest budget and no-name actors, there’s an aura of professionalism permeating almost every scene. Sub-par equipment doesn’t seem to be an issue when every shot is well-framed and all the actors deliver their lines convincingly. Every character is well-presented and contributed to the story in one way or another, and no moment felt out of place. Even the high contrast colour-scheme, reminiscent of Dario Argento’s work, helps to sell the illusion.

As is to be expected in any story concerning radio shows, music plays a big part in the film. Both the songs Eve and Adam play on their show and the overall soundtrack seem to add another layer of story and punk atmosphere to an already interesting premise.

The bizarre conclusion, however, is the most captivating and divisive point of the film. You’ll either love or hate it depending on how comfortable you are with non-sequitur filmmaking, but at least the short doesn’t end on a boring note. In fact, despite the reduced runtime, the feels entirely complete; any other additions would have detracted from the experience.

Brevity is Dead Air’s greatest asset, leaving the viewer with no time to properly assimilate the situation but still emphasizing character interaction and atmosphere. The plot takes an unexpected turn towards the end that may not have worked in a longer picture, but here it helps make the film more memorable and impactful. Horsfall’s artistic intentions may have been unclear, but this is a fun and witty short film that’s definitely worth a watch.

Screened at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival