A great time watching something can come in a 90-minute, 120-minute, 180-minute format, or any format in between. Sometimes you get really lucky and a hilarious, awkward, heartfelt great time comes in a 13-minute format. Thankfully, Blake Winston Rice’s DISC, which he directed and also co-wrote with Victoria Ratermanis (Bad Painter), is exactly that, a hilariously awkward and heartfelt good time, and is lead by the always fantastic Jim Cummings (The Last Stop in Yuma County).
Jim Cummings as Carey in DISC. Photo courtesy of Obscured Pictures.
The tagline, which is the same as the synopsis, is really simple in this effective and charming short film; it simply reads, “The story of a hookup gone too far up,” which is confusing, but when you see the short film, it is quite literal. The short focuses on a hookup gone wrong between Carey (Jim Cummings) and Alex (Victoria Ratermanis). At first, everything seems relatively normal; it plays off as a hookup they potentially regret but it slowly and quickly becomes a horror movie, and a comedy, and everything else in between. While diving slightly into the plot, the title is the antithesis of what the movie is about, Alex’s menstruation disc gets stuck and she is unable to pull it out herself. As one can imagine, this creates a very tense atmosphere that both Jim and Victoria lean into incredibly well, generating a few laugh-out-loud moments while also being incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. This isn’t some long-term relationship they were involved in, this was a random one-off hookup at a work conference they met at which makes the entire situation more unnerving and unsettling.
Victoria Ratermanis as Alex in DISC. Photo courtesy of Obscured Pictures.
The strongest elements of DISC, aside from the fact that this exact predicament is perfectly told within 13 minutes (it doesn’t drag, overstay its welcome, or become an uncomfortable situation for the audience), are the performances from the cast. Ratermanis wearing both the writer and actor hats in DISC is crucial to the success of the film. Victoria’s ability to portray Alex as equally horrified, humbled, embarrassed, and determined by and within the entire situation is a strong point throughout DISC, and there is never a moment of weakness. Alex doesn’t want to ask this inherent stranger for help, but she refuses to seek medical attention and essentially tells him to man up and shut up. On the other end of this spectrum is Cummings’s portrayal of Carey, who’s doing everything in his power to be a gentleman while absolutely horrified at the task he is presented with. The juxtaposition of Carey’s nervousness and needing to be coaxed into doing what is asked of him with to Alex’s determination is excellent, and the two of them have a lack of chemistry, which just adds to the incredible awkwardness of the entire situation. However, the “twist” in the short is where things pick up and continue to provide absolute hilarity.
L-R: Jim Cummings as Carey and Victoria Ratermanis as Alex in DISC. Photo courtesy of Obscured Pictures.
Rice and Ratermanis writing the script together, with Rice taking over direction, allowing Ratermanis and Cummings to shine throughout, are why DISC works. It is a nightmare completely come to life after an evening both parties would most likely rather forget, ensuring that, no matter what, these two will never be able forget the evening they had, and neither will we.
Screening during Tribeca Film Festival 2026.
For more information, head to the official Tribeca Film Festival DISC webpage.
Final Score: 4 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
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