Kept Man is a 2014 short film suspense drama directed by Brett Annese and written by Wilson Cleveland, who also stars in the film.[2] The film, set in Los Angeles, is a two-hander that depicts the intense relationship between Cleveland's character Jake and his new boyfriend, Brian, played by Hartley Sawyer, who is slowly losing his grip on reality.

Kept Man
Digital release poster
Directed byBrett Annese
Screenplay byWilson Cleveland
Produced by
  • Patrick T. Rousseau
  • Brett Annese
Starring
CinematographyMatthew Moroughan
Edited byNathaniel Wixon
Music byBrett Annese
Production
companies
  • Unboxd Media
  • Iris MediaWorks
Distributed by
Release date
  • October 31, 2014 (2014-10-31)
Running time
12 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The film was released for Halloween on October 31, 2014 on YouTube. A second cut of the film, featuring three additional scenes was released for Valentine's Day on February 14, 2015, on Amazon Prime Video and Vimeo On Demand.[3][4]

Cast

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Reception

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Kept Man received a range of reviews from critics. Joseph Ehrman-Dupre of IndieWire described it as "moody, mysterious, and shocking," noting that while the film's twist is anticipated, it still has an impact.[8] Evan DeSimone of NewMediaRockstars commented on the film's structure, indicating it was designed to keep viewers off balance.[9]

The film also won a 2015 Webby Award for Individual Short (Drama) from the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences on May 19, 2015.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Hurwitz, Daniel (October 31, 2014). "What to Watch This Weekend: Kept Man". USA Today. Retrieved May 27, 2018 – via Gannett Company.
  2. ^ Snicks, Brooks (November 7, 2014). "Watch! Cutting The Ties That Bind In Creepy Short Film". NewNowNext. Retrieved May 23, 2018 – via Viacom Media Networks.
  3. ^ Gutelle, Sam (October 31, 2014). "Here's One Last Horror Video For Your Halloween Weekend". Tubefilter. Tubefilter, Inc. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  4. ^ Hurwitz, Daniel (October 31, 2014). "What to Watch This Weekend: Kept Man". USA Today. Retrieved May 27, 2018 – via Gannett Company.
  5. ^ Johnson, Jocelyn (February 11, 2015). "New Film from Wilson Cleveland Pits Journalist Against Wall Street Mogul". VideoInk. VideoInk. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  6. ^ "Watch Hartley Sawyer in Kept Man". TV Guide. CBS Interactive. February 14, 2015. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  7. ^ Snicks, Brooks (November 7, 2014). "Watch! Cutting The Ties That Bind In Creepy Short Film". NewNowNext. Retrieved May 23, 2018 – via Viacom Media Networks.
  8. ^ Ehrman-Dupre, Joseph (December 9, 2014). "The Art of the Short Film: Kept Man". IndieWire. IndieWire. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  9. ^ DeSimone, Evan (October 31, 2014). "Kept Man Will Keep You on Edge". NewMediaRockstars. NewMediaRockstars. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  10. ^ "2015 Webby Award Winners: Kept Man". Webby Awards.
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