Sandra and Conrad awake to discover that they are trapped in a strange, gloomy, filthy apartment. The only exit is a mysterious door through which there appears to be no return. It soon becomes apparent that the two are dead and the apartment in which they are stuck is an unfortunate purgatory of sorts. To make matters worse, they are in such a quandary because of a collective automobile accident; as is often the case, each blames the other. A third victim of the wreck makes a brief appearance, but quickly heads into the abyss (via the strange and dark doorway). Neither Sandra or Conrad, however, are able to put the past behind them and make their way through the exit. Sandra is overly attached to her living son and Conrad is obsessed with a manuscript that he was working at the time of his ill-fated crash; such forces prevent the two from departing. Giving new meaning to the phrase “the miracle of television”, they are able to communicate with their living loved ones through two television monitors and a pair of headphones, a fact that contributes to their extended wait in perdition.
“Apartment 206” is an intelligent, multi-layered, well written short that contains excellent performances from both Nicola Hersh and Troy Bishop. The concept that the film is centered on is unique, compelling, and arguably profound. In addition, the film’s production quality (from set design to cinematography) is nothing less than outstanding. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Gregory Zymet’s (and crew) name attached to a reputable feature in the not so distant future.
