Echoes (2026)

-Written by Michelle Vorob.

2026 HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!

Echoes is a powerful short film by Alex Lanipekun. I've been thinking about Echoes for days, which is a testament to Lanipekun's writing and the performances of the cast. The story unfolds subtly, with two school friends running into each other as adults.

Andre (Ashley Walters) and Robert (Leo Gregory) happen to run into each other in town. Andre is successful and well-adjusted, while Robert is experiencing homelessness. Andre offers to help Robert, but the short of it is Robert insists he's okay. While it's obvious he isn't really okay. Andre doesn't want to push too much, or make Robert feel like he's being pitied. Robert, like most of us, just wants Andre to still see him as an equal, rather than a charity case. 

We also see flashbacks, Echoes, if you will, peppered throughout, of Andre and Robert in school. The flashbacks specifically pertain to their interactions with a teacher, Mr. Dolor (Emmett J. Scanlan) and the lasting effects of what transpired [also Echoes].

I have gone back-and-forth about how much detail to give and how many plot points to reveal, as I usually like to share, but part of what made Echoes such a compelling watch was being completely unprepared for it. The performances of the cast were rich and nuanced. The dialogue and interactions felt natural, which is always a big selling point for me. 

Echoes is filled with subtle details; a remark, a facial expression. For me, these realistic microexpressions tied everything together. The things that aren't plainly said. The ways we respond in real life, rather than a grand theatrical gesture, the latter of which you often see in film and television. Echoes needs and deserves your full attention, or you may miss key details.

Abuse “Echoes” throughout a lifetime. Even with therapy, it can affect the way someone perceives the world and other people. It can alter someone's personality and behavior, despite awareness and someone's efforts to move forward. Compound that with socio-economic factors; race, ethnicity, class, structural hierarchy. “Systemic” or “Institutional” abuse, whichever term you use, occurs because of the inherent hierarchy. The betrayal of a trusted teacher inflicts a different type of damage than being hurt by a stranger. Some people don't seek out therapy. Some people stuff it down, but it always makes its way back, in both small and significant ways.

I heard a phenomenal line in a TV series (Dark Winds, S3E5) not too long ago, regarding the aftereffects of trauma and abuse; “The monsters slip in, but they eat their way out.”

Written and Directed by Alex Lanipekun.

Starring Ashley Walters, Nathalie Emmanuel, Leo Gregory, Emmett J. Scanlan, Kenyah Sandy, George Harrison & Nathan Stewart-Jarrett.

9/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW