Sci Fi London 8: UK Premiere of Cryptic May 4, 2009

To shoot an independent time travel movie with a limited budget requires a great story idea, a practical period of time and a believable method of making the temporal jumps, without having to resort to expensive costumes and special effects.

'Primer' (SFL4) did this to great effect. Cryptic manages to do a similar thing, with additional elements of mystery and human drama, using the ubiquitous mobile phone as the McGuffin.

Young Jessie is a solitary child, and on her birthday her mum gives her a mobile phone. That afternoon the family are celebrating and her mum is electrocuted in the swimming pool. Years later Jessie finds her old mobile phone and calls her old number, and a young girl answers - her younger self. Through a series of calls the two Jessies start to change to course of their lives, both past and present.

The smart script is brought to life by a great cast of familiar character actors and young unknowns. With all its plausible scientific explanations, twists, turns and paradoxes the outcome will keep you guessing right up to the end, even after you think its over.

Official Website: http://www.sci-fi-london.com/festival/2009/programme/