When Unfettered, a short film by Derek Franzese, adventure begins with a simple step out the front door on life’s journey. It’s late at night, and Amara and Wren are at the side of their dying father. Also by their side is Ash, their father’s AI humanoid companion. When their father passes away, Ash provides as much cold comfort as an android can provide.
The next morning, Ash is told that her services may no longer be necessary. Processing the hint, Ash takes a walk away from the home for the first time. Full of wonder and whimsy from the outside world, Ash finds herself at a park where she meets a special child who changes her outlook on the world abroad.

“When their father passes away, Ash provides as much cold comfort as an android can provide.”
In When Unfettered, the audience is taken on a journey of discovery through the eyes of the protagonist, Ash. The opening scene takes place in a beautiful post-modern home, featuring a giant sheet of glass that creates a unique visual interplay between the family experiencing a loss and the android Ash, who feels alienated from them.
Ironically, Franzese draws out the story’s emotion through a protagonist who has no feelings and no emotions and is thrust into a world that is both kind and harsh at the same time. It’s the discovery of this new world and the kindness of strangers that When Unfettered captures so effectively.