SWITZERLAND: actors (m) 20-30, English spkrs, for surreal short film in Basel
production type: short film
pay: contact for details
looking for: actors
based in/around: Basel, Switzerland
about the project
Casting actors for the lead role in a Surreal Short Film.
Synopsis: The Scratch-off Lottery ticket is a surreal, offbeat short film about a dissociated young man who impulsively steals eleven dollars from a cashier one night – not out of desperation, but from a fog of overstimulation and underthinking. Just as the moment spirals into panic, a girl in a red plastic dress – unbothered, gum-chewing, oddly serene – quietly joins him, like it’s the most normal thing in the world.
The two drift through a city that feels like it’stuck in time – quiet, fluorescent, strangely familiar. What follows isn’t a love story or a crime story, but a subtle exploration of what it feels like to be disconnected from reality, from yourself, from meaning – and how human connection can still emerge in those strange, liminal spaces.
With visual influences from Fallen Angels, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and the dry absurdism of Tatami Galaxy, the film blends dark humor, existential undertones, and a soft surrealist aesthetic to tell a story that feels fleeting, yet oddly permanent – like a moment you’ve lived before, even if you can’t prove it.
Shooting Location: Basel
Shooting Period: Late summer to early autumn 2025.
Duration: 2-day shoot.
Compensation: To be confirmed — currently in the process of securing funding.
playing age: 20 - 30
role languages: English
Age: 20s–30s
Gender: Male / masc-presenting
Ethnicity: Open
Language: Fluent English required — neutral/standard accent preferred for clarity.
Non-traditional backgrounds and first-time actors welcome.
Role description:
A dissociated, overstimulated young man who steals eleven bucks on a whim just to feel something, anything to break the monotony. He’s nervous, erratic, and trapped in spiral-y thoughts, his ADHD-like, fidgety energy buzzing beneath every move. And yet there’s an effortless cool about him, an acceptance of his own chaos that somehow grounds him, making him unpredictable but utterly compelling. Acting first, thinking later - his emotions fire before his logic can catch up he feels disconnected, in a half awake, half asleep state of mind doesn’t always know what he is doing or why his brain doesn’t filter reality fast enough is impulsive, a little foggy and emotional. Is zoning out and spiraling at the same time.
References: He Qiwu (Fallen Angels); Park II-sun (I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK) - intense and offbeat but sweetly strange; Jesse Pinkman (early Breaking Bad) - raw, impulsive, soft on the inside.
*If you are interested please send:
A headshot or recent photo
Reel and/or short self-tape
A short note about yourself and what interests you about this role.
English (EU) 
Italiano 
Ελληνικά 