Entitled Disconnect Me, the latest work from Alex Lykos, creator of the Australian hit stage show Alex & Eve, and films Alex & Eve, Me & My Left Brain, will have its world premiere at one of the country's premiere events, the CinefestOZ Film Festival in Western Australia on August 31 and 2 September.
Following on from its Western Australia screening, the documentary will also have a Sydney red-carpet premiere at the iconic Enmore Theatre on Sunday, 17 September, with tickets going on sale on 1 August.
In Disconnect Me, filmmaker Alex Lykos explores the notion and, indeed, the possibility of disconnecting from one's mobile phone device and their inevitable by-products, such as social media sites and so forth.
Lykos puts himself front and centre of a social experiment by locking away his mobile phone and associated devices and goes on a tech-and-social media- fast, hoping to see how will he and those around him react, what will be the effects on his life, both personal and professional as well as mental health issues that might arise. There are many thought-provoking and poignant moments in Disconnect Me that audiences will no doubt relate to and reflect on. To find out, you will have to catch the screenings either in Perth or Sydney for now.
“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.
Ironically, during the screenings Disconnect Me will encourage 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.
“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,” says Lykos.
In making Disconnect Me, Lykos reunited with veteran editor Miriana Marusic and sound designer Anthony Marsh, both of whom worked on his previous film Me & My Left Brain.
Music was composed by Cassie Parke and award-winning composer George Ellis who recently composed the music for Lykos’ provocative one-man-show Jawbone.
