SH-T ON YOUR LIP | Omeleto

A whistleblower meets a reporter. Arnold worked at a corporate toy company, but when he realized their star product was questionable, he decided to bring that information out in the open with a press conference. But his message was lost when he appeared on television with what looked like schmutz on his lip. Now Arnold is meeting with a reporter, in the hopes of getting more attention on his message and less on his viral mishap. But the interview doesn't go quite how he wants, thanks to his errant brother and the continued interest in the one question everyone wants an answer to: what exactly was on his lip? Directed by Elvira Ibragimova and written by Elvira Ibragimova and Anna Lockhart, this smart, punchy short comedy lampoons the fish-eye lens that is our modern media landscape, where hapless, quirky peccadilloes often overshadow serious, substantive issues, thanks to the overriding ethos of virality. Clickbait headlines have eclipsed serious news investigations; meme-worthy moments reign over more complex narratives. Arnold has the best of intentions when he blows the whistle on the corruption of his company, but when he goes viral for all the wrong reasons, he's humiliated and wants to get his message back on track to what matters by meeting with a reporter. But when all she wants to uncover is what exactly was on his lip, Arnold realizes the media machine won't let it go and his task may well just be an uphill battle. The storytelling balances a grounding in character and emotion with the absurdity of the world around Arthur, whether it's the overblown media or his unruly brother Fred, who keeps intruding on his interview. Some moments are shot with a very funny sense of exaggeration, often featuring the screwball talents of actor Tim Baltz -- whom audiences may know from THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES -- as Arthur's brother. But the heart of the film is Arthur's interview with the reporter, putting the focus on the writing's smart, funny dialogue and performances. Actor Andrew Knox brings an earnest groundedness to Arthur, as well as a growing frustration and embarrassment over a moment he'd like to move on from. He squares off against actor Emily Pendergast, from shows like VEEP and JURY DUTY PRESENTS: COMPANY RETREAT. Nimbly portraying a duplicitous reporter, her agenda is to land the scoop on Arnold's mishap. But when he finally expresses his genuine frustration and sincerity in trying to get attention back to what really matters, she must reconsider her mission. Though the title might gesture to bathroom humor or farce, SH-T ON YOUR LIP is actually a deft, clever satire on viral media and how it distracts from issues and topics that deserve more attention. It's also surprisingly grounded, observing how lunacy of both individual and collective human behavior with a sense of humor and compassion. Its moral baseline is ultimately one of decency, when we can overlook the distraction and drill down into intentions, which for most people are good. And when they aren't, it reminds us to keep what matters in mind, despite the noise. SH-T ON YOUR LIP. Courtesy of Elvira Ibragimova at https://elviraibragimova.com.