Technology has replaced humans in many jobs, but what if it threatens the most personal jobs of all, including motherhood?
That’s the premise of CC, a new sci-fi short film that was released this week by Dust, a YouTube channel that presents some very interesting sci-fi short films. It’s only 14 minutes, but it presents a good story about a mother named Lena (Sharon Taylor) who has a robot nanny named CC (Jewel Staite) to take care of Addy (Audrey Wise Alvarez).
The short opens with CC holding Addy, claiming she’s protecting Addy. CC’s owners investigate what happened between Lena and her. It’s revealed CC has done a very good job taking care of Addy, but Lena is worried she’s being replaced in Addy’s heart.
There’s one line by CC that could be the key to the story: “AID (Artificial Intelligent Device) workers are better suited to some jobs, and when they are, it’s just best to let them take over.”
That’s something Lena will not accept, but CC is equally determined to do what’s best for Addy…maybe too much so.
Here’s a trailer, but the entire short can be found here.
The short film did well at the Leo Awards, which honors film in British Columbia. Staite won Best Actress, and it was well deserved. She plays CC as someone who thinks she is the best possible mother. She even argues to Lena that she can protect Addy much better. It would have better if Jewel was less robotic (even if she is a robot). If CC was a bit more human in tone, it would have added more to the conflict.
The script by directors (and twin sisters) Kailey and Sam Spear also won an award. Their story efficiently shows the conflict between CC and Lena, but is also shows how CC’s employers try to deal with what happened. It also includes a clue that CC’s definition of what’s best for Addy is programmed to benefit more than the child. It also hints how Addy may have been affected the most of all.
CC is a high-tech version of an old problem, the worry a mom may be replaced whether it’s a new wife or a nanny. The only difference is that future tech is making that issue a little scarier.
Jewel Staite, along with Summer Glau, Alan Tudyk, John Barrowman and many others, will be a guest at the Reno Pop Culture Con this weekend.
