What could go wrong in a world where being perfect is illegal?

With the present being so unpredictable imagine what can happen in the future? Gary Roberts introduces us to a plethora of questions in his pensive and oddly sci-fi-ish short The Problemless Anonymous. What could go wrong in a world where being perfect is illegal? Sadly, Ivan has tested positive for perfection and the law states he must attend an imperfection clinic in order to assimilate to the flawed world around him. The idea came over a coffee Gary had with writer Samuel Barber a few years ago, where he told him about a story he had written called “The Problemless Anonymous”. The concept stuck with Gary for a long time and had him constantly thinking about it.

I started to find myself contemplating details about how that world work. What would it look like? How would people act towards each other? What are the repercussions in a world with these rules? It challenged me.

So, I definitely set out to make a film that challenged the audience to think, it asks more questions than it gives answers, but they’re the sort of films I enjoy and ultimately the kind I would love to keep making. It’s a non-standard sci-fi film probably more in line with the Twilight Zone episodes or Tales of the Unexpected.

With such a bizarre tone, the film certainly takes a Twilight Zone allure, proceeding to intrigue the audience with a particularly insinuate storyline. Holding off an extreme and unprecedented ending that will definitely remain lingering in the back of your mind for a time to come.

The film was commissioned by Talkies Community Cinema and Short Sighted Cinema in London as a local borough funded scheme where they offer a local filmmaker £500 to make a short film utilising the local area as inspiration and filming locations. Shot over 2 days in early 2016, this production couldn’t have been possible without the collaborative spirit and dedication of a crew of friends. Thanks to their commitment we managed to get this film made and I am immensely grateful.