A Starting Point<\/strong><\/a>, Kassen has spent years watching that tension play out in real life.<\/p>\n\u201cI\u2019ve watched politicians come in naive, wanting to do something meaningful,\u201d he explains. \u201cAnd then, in trying to get there, they start playing into the things that get them attention. At first, it\u2019s in service of something\u2014but sometimes it becomes more in service of themselves. That line is a wild thing to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s that behavioral truth that grounds PH-1, giving its high-concept premise a disquieting sense of realism. As Kassen puts it, \u201cI felt like I had some inside behavioral information to make this feel as real as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though the film is set within a single penthouse, the world of PH-1 expands through screens\u2014phones, televisions, surveillance feeds, and social media streams that relentlessly intrude on Burnham\u2019s reality.<\/p>\n
\u201cA tweet becomes a fact,\u201d Kassen notes. \u201cAnd facts are hard to run from.\u201d<\/p>\n
That idea\u2014how quickly information calcifies into truth\u2014is central to the film\u2019s design. The penthouse may appear open, bathed in light and glass, but it becomes increasingly claustrophobic as technology infiltrates every corner.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s captive in his home,\u201d Kassen says, \u201cbut he\u2019s also captive in front of the media\u2014and by the technology itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
To achieve that sense of escalating pressure, Kassen worked closely with his cinematographer Sven Estos to construct a visual language rooted in duration and immediacy.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe shot long, continuous scenes\u201411, 12 pages at a time,\u201d he explains. \u201cI wanted the tension baked in, not something we manufactured later.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those extended takes required rigorous preparation. Kassen and his team rehearsed extensively within the space, mapping out movement and timing before cameras ever rolled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would go into locations and literally run scenes up and down hallways to figure out what we needed,\u201d he says. \u201cThere was a lot of planning just to make sure we could execute what we envisioned.\u201d<\/p>\n
But that precision was paired with a willingness to adapt in the moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou prepare like hell,\u201d Kassen says, \u201cand then you stay open. If you stay open, the film keeps evolving\u2014even after you think you know what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taking on the dual role of director and lead actor in such a tightly controlled environment added its own layer of complexity\u2014one Kassen acknowledges with a wry sense of humor.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cDon\u2019t play the lead in something like this,\u201d he says. \u201cNot with this few characters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yet that dual perspective also allowed him to shape performance tone with clarity. His portrayal of Burnham traces a precise arc\u2014from composed political confidence to unraveling panic, and finally into something more guarded and calculating.<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t just show up and figure it out,\u201d he explains. \u201cI had to come in completely prepared\u2014word perfect\u2014so I could then be open to what was happening in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
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That balance between structure and spontaneity extends to the entire cast. While the script was tightly constructed, Kassen allowed space for organic interaction where possible\u2014particularly given the film\u2019s unique technical setup, with actors sometimes performing remotely in real time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt allowed us to actually feel the pressure of the moment,\u201d he says. \u201cWe were really interacting with each other, not just pretending to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once production wrapped, the film\u2019s complex visual and narrative elements moved into the hands of editor Martin Pensa\u2014whose role proved critical in shaping the final experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou come in with a strong vision,\u201d Kassen says, \u201cbut then you hand it over to artists who challenge it and elevate it. What you get back is exactly what you wanted\u2014just better than you imagined.\u201d<\/p>\n
With multiple streams of information\u2014live action, digital overlays, surveillance feeds\u2014the challenge was not just technical, but psychological.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s so much information coming at you,\u201d Kassen notes. \u201cWe wanted the audience to feel that\u2014how overwhelming it is, how hard it is to keep up.\u201d<\/p>\n
That sense of overload extends into the film\u2019s sound design and score. Composer Adam Peters blends classical elements with electronic textures and real-world digital sounds, embedding the language of technology directly into the film\u2019s sonic landscape.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe started building things out of cell phone tones and computer sounds,\u201d Kassen says. \u201cSo the score itself feels like part of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The result is a soundscape that doesn\u2019t just support the narrative\u2014it invades it, reinforcing the constant presence of media and technology in Burnham\u2019s unraveling.<\/p>\n
At its core, PH-1 is about control\u2014who has it, who loses it, and how quickly it can be stripped away in an age where information moves faster than truth.<\/p>\n
And for Kassen, the filmmaking process itself echoed that theme.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you stay open,\u201d he reflects, \u201cthat journey never really ends. You keep learning from the film, even after you\u2019ve made it.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Kassen continues to explore the intersection of storytelling, media, and identity, PH-1 stands as a reflection of both his creative ambitions and his lived engagement with the political and digital landscape. PH-1 is an ambitious, tightly constructed media thriller that leans heavily into its conceptual framework, offering a timely meditation on identity and information in the digital age.<\/p>\n
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 04\/28\/2026<\/p>\n
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PH-1 is currently in select major markets. A North American digital release is set for May 8th on all the major platforms.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
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