“10-33” opens with a disturbing content warning – foreshadowing the impact it will have on anyone who watches.
This short film was written and directed by Alexander Maxim Seltzer. It’s succinct, clocking in at 10 minutes. Its setting is simple, taking place in the confines of a single bathroom stall. And it’s modern – depicting the chaos and horror of a mass shooting.
Ava (Alison Louder) enters a bathroom stall. She’s texting a friend about the date she’s on. She takes the time to eavesdrop on two women (Hannah Galway, Asha James) conversing in the bathroom. It’s a typical thing that happens all the time. Until the normalcy is shattered by the sounds of gunfire.
Alison Louder is the star of the film and delivers an amazing portrayal. The character runs the gauntlet of emotions in a brevity of time. Happy, confused, and quickly terrified. Louder is the only character for 99% of the piece and proves to be an outstanding talent to watch.
Real Life Horror
The claustrophobic nature of the setting is a perfect element for horror. Ava is confined to a bathroom stall while a gunman (Andrew Chown) is mowing down seemingly everyone he encounters. Ava hears the commotion but can’t see anything outside of the stall. She knows if she makes a sound it will give away her location. The tension is ripe with a cell phone we expect to go off, or a weak deadbolt that isn’t quite secured.
Alexander Maxim Seltzer does a masterful job with a real life traumatic event. The shooting is random. It’s a normal night out with everyday people until it becomes the worst possible nightmare. Any and all of us could be in the exact same scenario, and it will give you pause to think.
Deeper Message
I also really appreciated the performance and writing for the gunman. We see his shoes step over a pool of blood. We hear his sinister voice, taunting Ava from outside the stall with messages that are much deeper than normally given for this type of monster. His aggression can serve as a wakeup call to those who stand in the way of trying to stop this type of senseless and seemingly daily violence.
Scary Movie Season is a mere three months out. “10-33” will surely terrify you in a way unlike any other horror film.
“10-33” is available to watch on YouTube
