The film centres around Alex who disconnects from his smartphone for 30 days.
How will he and those around him react? What will be the effects on his life, both personal and professional? And what will become of his own mental health?
“It’s a vital examination of our current technologies, of ourselves, our relationships – our times. All told with an immediacy that brims with humour, humanity, and humility,” said Co-Producer Peter Maple.
Disconnect Me is the first film in cinema history which encourages the audience to interact with the film in real time using their smartphone.
“Rather than ask people to turn their phones off for the film, we thought, hey, the film is about that device in the audience’s pocket, so we’re going to ask the audience to use their phone whilst at the same time ask them to reflect on their relationship with their phone,” said Lykos.
“We are excited about seeing how the audience will interact with the film. We hope it will be a unique, communal cinema experience for the audience,” said Lykos.
Alex reunited with editor Miriana Marusic and sound designer Anthony Marsh, both of whom worked on Me & My Left Brain, with music composed by Cassie Parke and award-winning composer George Ellis who recently composed the music for Lykos’ award-winning one-man-show Jawbone.
Disconnect Me was selected to be the opening night film of the Melbourne Documentary Film festival. However, it had to be withdrawn from the festival when it was pre-selected by the Venice International Film Festival. Whilst the film was not officially selected into Venice, it has been selected into the CinefestOz Film festival where it will have its world premiere on the 31st August.
About the Creator:
Disconnect Me is an original work by Alex Lykos — writer of the hit film and stage show trilogy Alex & Eve, feature film Me & My Left Brain, stage shows Better Man, The Negotiating Table, It’s War, A Long Night, the stage musical Australia’s Game, and the award-winning one-man show Jawbone.
