OPERATOR

 DIRECTED BY CAROLINE BARTLEET

'Operator' is about a woman and her son trapped in a house fire, but it is told through a phone call she makes to the emergency services. We never see the action, we only hear it through the phone.

Being able to hear but not see the action helps to raise the tension. There are moments of silence where we have no way of knowing what is happening with the fire. Similarly, when we hear screaming or the coughing of her child, we have no way of knowing what has happened.

The contrast between the panic of the Gemma on the phone and the calm voice of the operator also helps raise tension. The operator is calmly doing her job, but as an audience, we want her to panic just as we are, and to do more to help, even though she can't.

The film ends with a moment of gorgeous acting and silence as the operator takes a moment to pull herself together before the sound comes back in and she has to answer another call. Life goes on.