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Shortwave

Name: Shortwave
Director: Ryan Gregory Phillips
Released: 2016
Duration: 85 min

Representation Score

3.4/10

Limited

2016

Director

Ryan Gregory Phillips

Runtime

85 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Shortwave is a contained psychological thriller that emphasizes existential dread over broad social commentary. The narrative focuses on the internal state of a single protagonist, limiting opportunities for diverse representation. The film uses the unreliable narrator cliché to highlight the fragmentation of perception rather than the the way different parts of someone's identity overlap of identity. It adheres to traditional genre structures, lacking the breadth and intentionality needed to promote progressive social values or systemic subversion.

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Category Breakdown

Does Shortwave have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or narratives. The storyline focuses on a single character's psychological journey, with no queer-coded elements.

How does Shortwave portray gender?

Limited

The main character, Laurence Belcher, is male. There are no actively leading female characters or subversion of gender hierarchies in the story.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Shortwave?

Limited

The film seems to lack a diverse cast, with mostly Anglo-Saxon actors. The setting suggests a homogeneous environment typical of low-budget psychological sci-fi.

How does Shortwave represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story centers on individual delusions without engaging in collective socio-political struggles. Traditional institutions are not critiqued systematically.

Does Shortwave include disability representation?

Fair

The protagonist faces significant psychological distress and isolation. It is unclear whether mental instability is portrayed with ability to act or merely as a plot device.

Present on Screen

Effectively challenges the stability of the protagonist's perception through postmodern sci-fi clichés.

Limited or Absent

Lacks demographic breadth and intentional characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity.
Does not engage with systemic critiques or diverse identity-based storytelling.
Relies on a homogeneous cast and traditional male-driven psychological narratives.

Official Synopsis

A modern and unrelentingly tense psychological thriller based on a theory of the origins of shortwave radio frequencies, Shortwave is an unnerving reminder that some stones are best left unturned.

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