THE PROJECT

THE INSPIRATION

In January 2015, the New York Times published Modern Love Op-ed piece by Mandy Len Catron entitled "To Fall in Love with Anyone, Do This". It quickly went viral -- because who isn't fascinated with the dynamics of falling in love and a method that scientifically ensures that it's mutual? The author describes using the Aron Method of closeness to fall in love. Consisting of 36 questions followed by staring for two to four minutes into each others' eyes, the method was originally formulated for psychologists studying relationship dynamics. It allows them to artificially accelerate the process of emotional intimacy between randomly paired subjects thus giving them greater control over variables in a laboratory setting. Since its development in 1997, the method has been used in hundreds of studies examining not only romantic ties but multiple subjects ranging from racial attitudes to the mechanics of philanthropy.

The article was a catalyst.

Can an outsider see that exact moment when two people’s hearts open up to one another? Is it a phenomenon that we can capture with our senses? How would we react to witnessing such an intimate moment? Could or would we fall in love with them as a couple? Is it possible to fall in love with just one of them as if we’re taking part in the experiment with them?

THE STORY

Two strangers are paired up in a lab experiment to accelerate their emotional intimacy but will they actually fall in love?

In a psychology lab, two characters -- a woman in her late 30s, who questions if she’s still able to fall in love, and a man in his late 20s, whose relationship disappointments have brought him to the brink of becoming a cynic -- undergo the method. But will they fall in love?

The action culminates in four minutes, without dialogue, when they stare into each other's eyes.