This past week, Bot or Not, the award winning short film was released on YouTube.
Bot or Not is executive produced, written, stars, and is the directorial debut of Meghan Carrasquillo. It follows Carrasquillo’s character, Juliet, as she takes part in a TV dating show called Bot or Not. The show follows contestants as they date two versions of the same person, one a bot, and one not. At the end of the series of dates, the contestant has to declare which one she believes to be the real human. Bot or Not, whilst a science fiction creation, is very in keeping with some of the reality dating shows we have seen in recent times, like Love is Blind, Married at First Sight, and extreme shows like Naked Attraction. This means the story remains very relatable, whilst covering speculative subject matter.
The film is a very timely look at identity, and how we navigate relationships, relying on our own wits and experience to determine what to believe, and what not to. There are myriad dating apps, and other ways to meet online, and much like the gameshow in the film, it’s very difficult to know who you’re really talking to, whether they be a bot, a decent human being, or something worse. Again, unlike some of the more fantastical movies about artificial intelligence and robots, Bot or Not tackles the threat of AI in a much more relatable way. We’ve all been duped by fake news, pictures, and even video on the internet. Would you stake your life on being able to tell the difference?
Jadon Cal Fitzpatrick (STREAM, Off Rip) serves as Co-Director and Producer, while also starring in the dual roles of Aiden S1 and Aiden S2, one a bot, and one not.
The cast also features Gigi Gustin, Godderick Alucard, and Natalie Stavola, who also serves as a Producer. The production team also includes KC Mussman and Ian Aberle as Executive Producers, Katrina Kearns as Line Producer and First Assistant Director, and Jake Jalbert as the film’s Cinematographer.
Bot or Not was the winner of the category Best Sci-Fi at the Lois Weber International Film Festival 2026, and has received several other award nominations. The team are working on getting it made as a feature film, and you can register your interest at www.botornotmovie.com.
You can watch the film, for free, on YouTube below –
Cyberstopia 