Hashtag

Directed by Ben Alpi and written by Alpi and Kevin Rubio, Hashtag is an affecting and thought-provoking exercise. While a bit more about X’s daily routine would have been nice to properly get a feel of how she operates and the kinds of products she shills, there’s more than enough established for the big ideas at play to be explored. Alpi and Rubio have something to say about the social media stars as icons, and happily, they avoid a number of cliches that would have made this feel heavy-handed.

By focusing on how these disturbances of X’s habitual activities affect her, they have crafted a fully dimensional character. Gigi Edgley fiercely performs said character. After very publicly questioning her surroundings, she begins to do any and everything she thinks her followers will want in order to keep them around. The frenzied, almost manic energy exuding off Edgley is incredible. She garners a lot of empathy from just the first few minutes, which given how little the audience actually knows about the character, is a tall order.

“…Gigi Edgley fiercely performs said character.”

The production design of Hashtag is beautiful. Te’ a, who Landau voices perfectly, controls a chandelier of cameras that descends from the ergonomic ceilings. The red circles around the edge of the lens add a flash of color, and not just flickering screen lights, to the sterile-looking place. X’s costumes are elegant and fun, allowing for glimpses into the opulence this job offers her. That it’s an endorsed product only highlights the fleeting tangible qualities of this way of life.

The filmmakers have made a dauntless and driven film with its critique of all-consuming social media. Hashtag is anchored by a stunning turn from its central star, and its outstanding script. While I would have liked to see a bit more about her everyday life before things get out of hand, the film works wonderfully.

Hashtag screened at the Dragon Con Independent Short Film Festival.

Pull Quotes-

“…the barrier holding X in the few rooms she calls home becomes weaker, and X increasingly questions every move she makes. This panic makes her followers leave en masse…”
“… an endorsed product only highlights the fleeting tangible qualities of this way of life.”