Premiering at the Oscar-qualifying 2025 HollyShorts Film Festival, Jordan Murphy Doidge’s debut short is as haunting as it is heartbreakingly real.

In an age where “going viral” can feel like the only metric of worth, CLOUT arrives like a punch to the gut, a bold, provocative short that refuses to flinch as it peers into the emotional wreckage left in the wake of internet obsession.

Written and directed by Jordan Murphy Doidge, CLOUT follows Oskar (Archie Yates), a painfully isolated teenager attending an elite private school, as he tumbles down the rabbit hole of influencer culture. Craving attention, recognition, or even an ounce of social belonging, Oskar fabricates an outrageous claim that sparks a viral storm, culminating in a livestream stunt that’s as reckless as it is horrifying.

Yates, best known for his endearing role in Jojo Rabbit, delivers a performance here that is truly transformative. Gone is the sweet sidekick; in CLOUT, Yates channels a wounded intensity that builds quietly, then erupts. He makes Oskar’s descent feel inevitable, even as we silently beg him to turn back. It’s the kind of performance that is piercing in its lack of exaggeration, offering an uncomfortably familiar and intimate portrait of teenage loneliness.

Doidge’s direction is taut and unflinching, channelling icy tension alongside emotional vulnerability. The Black Mirror stylistic influence is evident, with the cold and eerie dread being infused in a tale of unsettling plausibility. The script is sharp and socially astute, no easy feat when tackling the world of social media use among young people in storytelling. It’s a space that too often slips into condescension or feels disconnected from the emotional truth of the digital experience. Visually, the film balances the polished aesthetic of influencer content with the creeping bleakness of psychological isolation, a tonal dance that’s impressively executed.

The supporting cast, including Nadine Marshall, Anna Wilson-Jones, and breakout newcomers Obi Oleforo and Ashwin Chandrasekaran, bring texture and nuance to the world around Oskar, particularly Kit Price, whose real-life TikTok fame adds a subtle meta layer to his onscreen presence. Every performance feels honest, grounded, and perfectly calibrated to the story’s themes of disconnection and desperation.

But what makes CLOUT especially powerful is its clear sense of purpose. This is not a film made for shock value. Its partnership with UK charities like The Mix and Family Lives signals a sincere intent to drive conversation around digital mental health. It’s a cautionary tale, yes, but also a call to action.

Doidge has crafted something urgent and unforgettable here. CLOUT manages to do what many storytellers in the realm of social media and youth fail to: capture the modern teenage psyche in crisis without condescension or melodrama. It’s a film that demands to be seen by parents, by educators, and especially by the generation raised under the algorithm.

With its striking visuals, devastating emotional core, and chillingly plausible plot, CLOUT is not just a short film; it’s a warning flare fired into the social media sky.

Rachel Sinclair