Sleep Call (dir. Richer Huynh)

By: Dave Hughes

Companionship in the digital age can be terrifying. Deep bonds are frequently formed online without either party knowing who the other truly is or what their motivations might be. It is a frightening reality, and one that often causes far more heartbreak than lifelong connection. The short film Sleep Call tells the story of a man who has formed one such digital bond, an attachment he feels incredibly strongly about. The result is a terrifying cautionary tale of modern intimacy born from profound loneliness.

Winnie, also played by Huynh, is an isolated man who believes he has found a genuine lifeline through an internet friend named Lily. The audience is introduced to the pair on the very night they meet. As their online bond deepens, an uneven dynamic begins to emerge: Winnie willingly reveals his face and opens up about his personal life, while Lily completely hides behind a digital avatar, remaining hesitant to share anything about herself. This stark imbalance creates a tension between the two, ultimately yielding terrifying results.

One of the most unsettling aspects of Sleep Call is the way director Huynh uses the black space of a computer screen. The empty darkness creates a sense of uncertainty that leaves both the audience and Winnie deeply uncomfortable, especially when Lily suddenly goes silent on the other end. Those black vacancies also carry an undercurrent of sadness, reflecting Winnie’s loneliness and growing desperation for companionship. Winnie tries to stand up for himself and learn more about Lily but her manipulations and tactics make Winnie question his own worth and value while falling deeper and deeper into her mind games. Lily’s voice is equally unsettling, frequently glitching and shifting into an almost demonic, unpredictable cadence that adds to the film’s creeping sense of dread.

Target Score: 8/10 Sleep Call explores the uncertainty of relationships formed online, where trust and intimacy are often built on limited information and unseen identities. Through Winnie and Lily’s unsettling story, the film becomes a cautionary tale about companionship in the digital age, highlighting both the comfort and danger that can emerge from connections made through a screen.

Sleep Call was reviewed as part of Movie Archer's coverage of the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival.