Untethered is a striking short drama inspired by the experiences of victims of modern slavery in the UK.
Starring Jacob Dudman in the role of a trafficked man, from Europe to the UK, Untethered presents us with our main character while he is on the run in God’s Own Country, as he affectionately refers to Yorkshire like the locals do. He is in a living hell: he has no home, no cash and no phone- and of course no bank account. Amongst a breathtakingly beautiful winter landscape of a rural village, all he has to remind him of his identity and even the fact he is alive is a picture with his mother taken in his childhood.
Directed by Lidia Huerta, Untethered is documentary-like in its narrative and pace (the script consists of the character’s thoughts in the form of a letter to his mother), but also visually. Showcasing quintessential English landscapers, including a rural street corner with a post box and telephone box, it contains a great mixture of intimate close ups, moving shots, over-the-shoulders and extreme wide shots.
Much like we sometimes see in documentary stories, we witness the kindness of strangers, in this case from a female shopkeeper- which in many ways is the only thing keeping our character alive, and is in deep, sharp contrast to the criminalityof which he has been a victim. Also in keeping with this nod to documentary films, the viewer is given some shocking figures about the pervasiveness of modern slavery in the UK currently. This absolutely does, as the filmmakers wish, make the viewer reflect on what it means to be marginalised and what it does to a person’s entire being to be de-humanised in such a way.
‘Just because I breathe, it doesn’t mean I am alive’, our main character explains as he tries to ground himself while living in constant fear the people who enslaved him will find him again. This is a phrase that reflects a common feeling among victims of the most serious crimes, as if their life has been almost literally taken from them. This feeling drives our character to the very edge, as it has done many victims of modern slavery.
Untethered is a story about not merely survival, but how to try to recapture ‘the feeling of being alive’, and holding on to it, against all odds.