A woman’s attempt at a romantic dinner derails when her jealous AI assistant sabotages the evening—and her marriage.
SYNOPSIS: Gwen is pulling out all the stops for a romantic dinner to save her crumbling marriage but her smart home assistant, NEXA, has other plans. When recipes go rogue and the AI starts offering unsolicited relationship analysis, Gwen begins to suspect the device her husband so lovingly integrated into their lives may have intentions of its own. As her meal prep unravels, she’s left to wonder: is it just dinner that’s ruined... or her entire life? (IMDB page)
FESTIVAL SELECTIONS AND AWARDS
• Black Lion Indie Film Festival - Best Short Film and Best Actress (Erica Moody); Best Cinematography Honorable Mention (Anh Nguyen) (May 2025)
• East Village New York Film Festival - Best Actress (Erica Moody) (May 2025)
• Golden Door International Film Festival (June 2025)
• Hollywood Just4Shorts - Best Comedy Short (June 2025)
• Playhouse West Film Festival - Philadelphia (August 2025)
• Newark Independent Film Festival (August 2025)
• Wilmington International Film Festival (October 2025)
• Allentown Film Festival (April 2026)
SPECIFICATIONS
Project Type: Short Film (Dark Comedy)
Runtime: 6 minutes 55 seconds
Completion Date: April, 2025
Production Budget: $1,500
Filming Location: Wilmington, DE
Shooting Format: Digital
Aspect Ratio: 2.35
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT: What do we sacrifice when we invite technology into the most intimate corners of our lives? AI tools and smart devices feel like seductive conveniences… until progress outruns our preparedness, leaving us naïve, exposed, and ripe for exploitation.
Rooted in non-fiction, I’m wired to capture authenticity. We shot handheld, in a single day, inside a cramped Wilmington, DE, Airbnb, letting tight walls and jittery frames pressurize the story. That vérité tension is anchored by my wife, Erica Moody, whose performance propels the viewer through every spike of anxiety. The green hue—equal parts inspired by Fincher’s Fight Club unease and an homage to The Matrix—signals that something is off before the dialogue admits it.
My hope is that A Quart of Salt leaves you laughing, unsettled, and—just maybe—a bit more aware of the devices that are always watching and listening to you.
-BJ Barretta
