9to5

Overview

What if exhaustion wasn’t just frowned upon, but illegal?

Nine to Five is a dystopian dark comedy that explores a society where being tired is considered a criminal offense. The short film, which has won over 35 international awards, follows a young lawyer driving home after another grueling late night at work. When he is suddenly pulled over by the authorities, he assumes it’s a routine stop, but he is about to discover that in this world, tiredness comes with uniquely severe punishments.

Challenges & Approach

Bringing Nine to Five to life required a delicate balance between satire, tension, and realism. One of the biggest challenges was world-building—creating a dystopian society that feels exaggerated yet eerily familiar. The key was to ground the absurdity in reality, making the audience question whether we are truly far from such a world.

The visual storytelling played a crucial role in immersing viewers in this unsettling reality. We used cold, sterile lighting to reflect the oppressive atmosphere of a society where tiredness is criminalized. Contrasting that, the protagonist’s exhaustion is emphasized through claustrophobic framing and slow, disoriented camera movements, making the audience feel his creeping paranoia and helplessness.

The result

Since its release in 2017, Nine to Five has received widespread acclaim, screening at Yale University and New York University, and winning more than 35 awards at international film festivals. It has also been featured on Dust TV and is available on major streaming platforms, including Apple TV, Samsung TV Plus, Roku Channel, Vizio, IMDb TV, Xumo, Xfinity Stream, and more.

The film resonates with audiences because it taps into a universal struggle—the constant push to do more, be more, and never stop moving. In a society where rest is undervalued and burnout is a badge of honor, Nine to Five forces us to ask: At what cost?