Squawk (2026)

A five-minute comedy that finds something uncomfortably familiar in the absurd.

Ben Wetten’s short film Squawk is a timely comedic takedown of societal shortcomings and bureaucratic witchcraft, all set by the seaside. A young man is convinced that the local council are spying on the population through robotic seagull drones, and we’re treated to his ramblings of what initially seem to be the ravings of a misguided social media addled youngster. We even see one of these birds swearing at him in the opening scene, assuming he needs help.

An older gentleman sitting on a bench enquires after his well-being, and is then subjected to a tin foil hat takedown of the local council that veers off into ever more spurious theories; but the longer they continue, the more we realise this is a conspiracy wrapped in everyday problems we all have to deal with. You know that before potholes are mentioned.

Squawk is a light-hearted affair that falls short of actively accusing anyone of anything, yet one pointed zoom of the camera feels particularly pertinent and still amusing. This is a short that we could all get on board with, and for many this will feel all too relatable. The film wouldn’t work if it was too tongue in cheek, but it successfully toes a fine line between ludicrousness and social satire, surrounding itself with a blanket of realism that everyone can feel party to.

The opening shots give it a kitchen sink drama feel, and it’s hard not to be reminded of Trainspotting (1996) with the lead’s shaven head and retro clothing; it’s also easy to think of Mark Renton tongue-lashing society with an ever more bizarre yarn after a substantial amount of drug taking. But that’s not where Squawk goes, yet the similarities with Danny Boyle’s film don’t end there. The frequent use of profanity works well, and you might well surmise that while the characters of Trainspotting were fused with drugs, the main character’s brain in Squawk is pulsing with online theories and opinions. They’re both, in some ways, as bad as each other.

While Squawk might not fully come together, its final shot offers a satisfying catharsis, although we’re not entirely sure what comes next. But the fact that we’re interested means Squawk has done something very well in its five minutes in front of us. ★★★★ 7.8/10