The best movies shot only with a smartphone

The physical impossibility of going abroad to shoot could generate a much more homemade style of production. For example, we see that the specialized website of SensaCine mentions that Netflix itself is thinking of putting together a series of the coronavirus with different actors in quarantine, that is, from their own homes.

Therefore, the tendency would seem to be to start filming, at least for the moment, with a more “rudimentary” or homemade style. However, due to improved technology, almost any smartphone allows you to shoot in high definition. Therefore, we decided to look for some examples of movies shot entirely on a mobile phone.

Olive by Patrick Gilles (2011)

We start with a film that was recorded entirely on a Nokia N8 in 1080p, with a lens that fits about 35mm. It was a true milestone for cinema, since, as the media, El Observador de Uruguay mentions, it was the first film shot entirely using a cell phone.

In this case, the protagonist is named Olive. She is mute, so she relates to various people in different ways. So, we discover that she has some magical powers that will be revealed throughout this movie, where Randi Zuckerberg, the sister of the creator of Facebook, acts.

Night Fishing by Chan-Wook Park & Park Chan-kyong (2011)

Recorded entirely with an iPhone 4, we talk about a Korean story where a fisherman must part with his daughter, and leaves her with her grandmother in a mystery plot.

Therefore, different ritual scenes will appear, where we seem immersed in a dream. It is a new way of perceiving art, since the quality of the filming itself does not matter so much, but we are captivated by the charm of the composition.

Tangerine by Sean Baker (2015)

The filming of this movie was done with an iPhone 5S, which did not prevent it from having a really high quality. Even the media La Nación mentioned that it is a “vital” story, with a light that is not what we are used to in the cinema, although it works the same way.

It's about a transgender character named Sin-Dee Rella, who finds out that his partner is unfaithful to him and a series of conflicts break out. Therefore, it is a kind of street-movie, although with very well done cuts that strengthen the narrative.

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Steven Soderbergh's Unsane (2018)

Finally, we talk about the most “expensive” production in terms of quality, since the bar is raised when filming with an iPhone 7 Plus in 4K quality for 10 days. Here we are told of a woman harassed by a man for many years.

Throughout all of her story, we see that the woman loses her sanity until she is admitted to a psychiatric hospital. The photography and the cinematographic quality, in general, are really high, which shows that, sometimes, a huge production is not necessary. Will we see more cases due to quarantine?