Keep the Lights on

Keep the Lights on is a psychological meta-theatre short film that explores the fragile boundary between performance and personal truth. Set within a high-pressure audition, the story follows a young actress trapped in an escalating power dynamic with a director who repeatedly pushes her to be “real”. Drawn from personal experience in drama training, the film examines some key questions. How far should performers go in pursuit of authenticity? When does artistic vulnerability become a personal sacrifice? Through Mira’s emotional journey, this short film aims to explore the tension between obedience and agency, questioning the ethical limits of creative authority and exposing the psychological pressures often faced by artists.