CAUGHT IN 4K: Someone is captured in 4K, high definition, caught red-handed on the internet. Eleven-year-old Ava is home alone. She skilfully presents herself online. Takes Selfies. Dances. Puts on make-up. TOM_X12 likes this. Year of production 2025 Length 15' CountryAustria Shooting Format Digital Aspect Ratio 16:9 Dialogue English Directors Adriana Mrnjavac and Nicole Stigler Producer Elahe Aman Writer Adriana Mrnjavac Script & Continuity Emil Kaschka , Johanna Hoose Dramaturgic ConsultantCalvin Trosien Cinematographer Simone Hart Editor Jonathan Meiri Sound Designers Moritz Heidegger, Mariya Peleshko Production ManagerJulie Stempelová Unit ManagerEmilia Leytner Production AssistantsJohanna Hoose, Emil Gossler, Julia Baginski ,Miriam Vollmer Production Designer Alexandros Girginer CostumeDesignerMarlene Oberneder Hair & Makeup ArtistsLea Rodler, Alexandra Schmidbauer, Helena Stöss Music ComposerMariya Peleshko VFX ArtistChristoph Gstrein Graphic DesignerStephanie Stigler DancersLena Lochmahr, Tamara Mayr, Julia Kapfhammer, Zalea Zankl, Bethalina Thompson, Elahe Aman, Linus Weinek, Nikola Stevanovic, Nina Mihailovic Content CreatorsJulia Maria Winkler, Emilia Maria Kerbler, Anastasia Georgatselis, Ana Bilic, Simone Hart, Adriana Mrnjavac, Naima Van der Voort Cast Rada Rae , Amelia Garcia Vargas,Gabriela Garcia Vargas,Ken Robinson
Funded byFreunde der Filmakademie FAMA
Festival selections Flickerfest International Short Film Festival 2025, Australia - World Premiere FILMAY Short Film Festival Kumanovo 2025, North Macedonia Zlín Film Festival - International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2025, Czech Republic Directors' Statement CAUGHT IN 4K draws attention to the difficult situations children face in today's digital world. Even adults can feel lost in the vastness of the internet, and children often don't receive the support they need. With early exposure to diverse age-inappropriate content, many of them miss out on the chance to just be kids. When Adriana noticed her younger sister scrolling on TikTok unsupervised, it opened our eyes to the reality that many children surf the internet unfiltered and are at risk of becoming targets for abuse. This observation inspired us to tell the story of Ava, who finds herself in a similar situation. We want to deliberately provoke and address the often invisible but highly topical phenomenon of cybergrooming. At a time when the internet is having an even greater impact on children's lives, this issue is becoming increasingly important. CAUGHT IN 4K bridges traditional filmmaking techniques with the vibrant stylistic devices characteristic of Generation Z and Alpha. The film aims to make the experience of the average internet user tangible, utilising familiar elements such as text pop-ups, sounds and a constant stream of fast-paced stimuli to simulate a never-ending dopamine rush. By immersing viewers in this sensory overload, the film captures the essence of shutting out the outside world completely, a common behaviour among young individuals immersed in digital media.
