One of the high points of being a card-carrying cinema geek is stumbling upon a little-seen gem of a film and introducing it to other like-minded aficionados. God knows it's hard enough getting the world to notice an independent film without big distribution muscle behind it. But honestly, I think word-of-mouth publicity is far more permanent than anything puked up by insincere marketing dumb-asses and a few brain-dead focus groups. Besides, independent films are just a whole lot cooler, since they're made by people who believe in what they're doing.

But enough self-righteous bullshit. I'd rather just talk about this groovy little short from Austrian filmmakers Bastian Zach and Matthias Bauer. Lean on plot and dialogue but heavy on grim atmosphere, INFINITE is a 180-proof slug of existential dread in a pretty slick little package.

As indicated literally in its stylized opening - in which we dive into the whirling grooves of a spinning record - we're promised a dizzying visual experience. Into this disorienting scenario steps dazed wanderer Gabriel Winter (Werner Vorhofer), who emerges from a foggy abyss to confront a massive, cathedral-like portal. Under the vaguely threatening direction of a cool-looking but strangely robotic overseer (Christian Schmid), Gabriel plunges through a seemingly endless corridor lined with red doors. Behind each door lies an isolated pocket of reality in which Gabriel witness or participates in scenarios of love, guilt, fear, self-doubt and regret.

Are these reflections of the past, glimpses of what could have been, or hints of what is to come? Plenty of these questions arise, no clear answers are given, and we begin to feel Gabriel's panic as he is bombarded by the riddles awaiting him in each new room. This nightmare dimension eventually gives way to a more concrete reality, and we're led to believe the whole thing is just a cautionary dream - that is, until reality collapses again. Damn. And all this in under 20 minutes.

It's as if Zach and Bauer have managed to pack a feature-length David Lynch-style surrealist fantasy into one-sixth the running time, while retaining all Lynch's warped imagery and off-the-wall metaphysics. The result plays out like a potent movie cocktail shot straight into your eyeball. Their creative team has wrung every bit of production value possible out of clearly limited means, resulting in a film that is sharp, fat-free and intense, which looks like it cost a lot more than it probably did. The only downside to the stripped-down approach is that a concept like this probably requires a lot more screen-time to explore: I felt like I was suddenly plucked out of the story just as it was reaching full momentum.

Shot on digital video and effectively film-looked, the image is matted to approximately the same ratio as 35mm film (1.85:1), but has a very 16mm look. There is a high level of grain in some shots, but I believe this was the intent of the filmmakers. The rooms and swaying light sources create layers of deep shadow, which sustains the mood without obscuring the action. The 2.0 German track is an effective mix of swirling subliminal effects (and maybe not-as-effective synth strings). There's probably less than twenty words of dialogue, but English subs can be chosen nevertheless.

Digital effects occupy nearly every shot in the film, and these images frequently take center stage. Although not exactly big-studio quality, the CGI environments are effective in creating a massive, surreal netherworld, almost like a carnival funhouse version of Sartre's NO EXIT. Some shots are hair-raisingly creepy - particularly a vast, storm-swept ocean filled with frantically grasping hands.

These effects are broken down in one of the disc's well- presented extras (which, unlike the film itself, do not come with English subs - so if your German is as rusty as mine, you'll just have to rely on the visuals). The best of which is definitely the behind-the-scenes reel which shows some of the very practical filming techniques used, and reveals just how little of the "set" existed outside of the computer. Even sans subs, it says a lot about the enthusiasm and dedication of the filmmakers. I'm expecting big things from these guys in the years to come.

Take note that this is a PAL disc, and therefore is only accessible to players so equipped. And for now, it's only available from the filmmakers' website, www.opendoor-productions.com. Check it out. It's worth the trip... so to speak.