While monitoring late-night calls at an AI companionship service, a lonely customer support agent named Leah (Sera Barbieri, Potato Dreams of America) acts as one of the artificial dream girls — Rachel — to chat with Isaac (Anthony Shipway), a customer that she’s in love with.

As we grow more disconnected and alone in our private bubbles, the idea of callable companionship and GFE (Girl Friend Experience) doesn’t seem so alien any longer. It’s to the credit of the direction by Joanny Causse (who co-wrote the script with Steph Kwiatkowski) that this seems so daring and original, as well as the great acting by Barbieri.

This movie totally deserves the awards that it’s been earning, such as the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film at the  Seattle International Film Festival 2022 and the Jury Award for Best Screenplay at Fantasia International Film Festival 2021.

I watched this at the North Bend Film Festival, which you can learn more about on their official site. You can also read more about Rachels Don’t Run at its official site.