Lila’s Ribbon by Benjamin Martin begins festival run with momentum

Cape Town, SA (August 7th, 2025). Lila’s Ribbon is the upcoming short film by Benjamin Martin. In Lila’s Ribbon an obsessive scientist is desperate to save his wife from disease. He re-encounters his artificial android domestic worker, who may just hold the key to the life he pledges to save. Lila’s Ribbon is a deeply emotional and visually ambitious sci-fi short. It marks the latest festival-bound work by a 21 year old. A native of Cape Town, filmmaker Benjamin Martin is a rising talent in the South African Directors space.

“The heart of the film is about love and loss. It is the cost of trying to preserve what’s already gone,” says Martin. “It’s a story about faith, science, and the uncomfortable gray areas between.”

Lila’s Ribbon is not yet a public release. It recently held a private screening at Cape Town’s Labia Theatre. The audience were media executives and production companies. The early responses praise its cinematic storytelling and ambition, emotional core, and haunting tone.

Lila’s Ribbon continues Martin’s growing reputation for grounded, character-driven sci-fi. Lila’s Ribbon explores familiar existential questions through an intimate lens. It echoes themes from films like Ex-Machina. Lila’s Ribbon offers the audience a unique South African visual and emotional sensibility.

Lila’s Ribbon is on an international festival trail. The team behind Lila’s Ribbon hopes it can connect with audiences and collaborators. Anyone who has a preference for character-led genre stories.

“This film is deeply personal,” Martin adds. “I want to explore how grief can shape and distort love. Whether the past should be resurrected at all.”

For screeners, trailer links, or festival inquiries: benjamin@benmfilms.com

About Benjamin Martin.
He is an independent filmmaker. Benjamin is completing a BA Degree at SAE Institute. He is crafting a diverse portfolio across multiple narrative genres, music videos, commercials, and more. Benjamin is producing a wide range of media each year. He blends his writing-style with a penchant for spectacle and emotionally resonant themes. Benjamin is constantly pushing creative boundaries. His focus is to bring compelling stories to life-always in pursuit of the project that matters most. 

You can comment here or on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.