The Temptations of A.I. Companionship in "Rachels Don't Run"

In a world of shifting, new technologies, how do we stay connected with one another? That's one of the questions at the heart of "Rachels Don't Run," a short film directed by the French American filmmaker Joanny Causse. The film takes place entirely in an empty office, late at night, some time in the near future. Leah (Sera Barbieri), a customer-support agent for an A.I.-companionship company called Iris, sits alone at a sparingly lit desk, monitoring calls and dealing with frustrated clients. She helps them navigate the high-tech service and fields feedback about Svetlana, Siobhan, and Rachel--a few of the various personas of artificial-intelligence companions that Iris provides.