Written and directed by Masha Maroutitch, Ubiquitous follows best friends, Junior (Jerome Scott) and Nate (Jack Matthew) as they navigate a close friendship. Ubiquitous tells such a powerful story in just its 7-minute runtime. Produced by Opia Collective, this short is extremely well cast. Its two leads genuinely make us feel like part of their friendship. Set on a London estate, the film feels both cultural and real. But Junior wants to explore their relationship further.
However, what unravels for Junior is pent up frustration that Nate doesn’t love him back. But Junior must navigate the tough feelings of rejection, fading friendship, and long-lost memories. Struggling to express his true feelings, he becomes stuck wishing to disbelieve and dismiss the truth.
Ubiquitous’ Stunning Shots
Junior’s memories are cleverly told through video footage shot on his phone. He watches back the memories to keep his past feelings alive in his present. But this footage importantly keeps the story grounded in our phone-first lifestyles.
Focusing on one man’s journey through exploring unrequited love and internalised homophobia, Maroutitch beautifully captures the lead in single shots to show his inevitable loneliness. One of the most stunning shots of the film shows Junior looking over his shoulder as Nate looks back.
Nate is framed in a yellow hazy glow almost like an angel as Junior fondly remembers the way his best friend used to look at him (even if its not how Nate intends). Matthew plays Nate with an upmost likeability, and we too feel heartbroken that the two best friends no longer communicate. But how Junior remembers Nate is all caught up in how much he loves him not what happened in the moment. However, Junior is blinded by a one-sided love.
An internal poetic monologue hears the expressively fast-flowing thoughts of Junior as he sprints down the road. His thoughts cleverly match his pace. Interestingly, how he expresses himself in his mind is not the same as how he expresses himself externally. He’s caught up in his feelings, and it feels like no one will listen.
Speaking on how expectations on young men and gender stereotypes impact the character’s reactions, Maroutitch states that “Internalised homophobia renders a person unable to express themselves honestly and freely, which our young man in Ubiquitous so aches to do.” For Junior, it’s an arduous process to admit his feelings and one which requires opening his mind to understand his feelings.
A Deeply Poetic Story
Maroutitch thoughtfully uses colours and objects as symbolism. A mistaken vision of balloons on the stairs sends Junior spiralling back into his lustrous thoughts about Nate. The balloons float away in the wind and rise towards the clouds. This powerful shot serves as a metaphor for letting go of his feelings.
Junior’s pent-up frustration that Nate never felt the same is all held within Scott’s brilliantly expressive performance. From a text message that was forever ‘left on read’ to deep feelings that were never reciprocated, this film strikingly expresses a profoundly thoughtful male lead. But its music also speaks on Junior’s powerfully poetic and emotional journey. The lyrics match his feelings in the lines, ‘I’m making my way over to another place’ and ‘You don’t see me. Not in the same way.’
Feelings Of Heartbreak & Longing
Another powerful shot sees a close-up of Junior sitting on a quiet stairwell. Maroutitch then gradually zooms out to reveal the big open space around him. The camera wonderfully mirrors his emotions. We feel positioned inside his headspace.
Junior is caught up in a tangled web of feelings. An intense heartbreaking loss sees his desire for love take over and destroy his friendship with his best friend. It’s about wanting something more with someone who doesn’t see the same vision.
For Junior his journey leads him to eventually come to terms with his feelings of heartbreak. Masha Maroutitch does a wonderful job in pulling at the heart strings of the audience and making us break just as much as Junior does over his longing for Nate. Together the director and cast take their audience on a deeply profound, poetically resonant journey which leaves us shaken by a story of one-sided love.
Rating: 4 Stars
Ubiquitous is part of Filmotomy’s coverage on the Femme Filmmakers Festival 2026.
You can read more reviews from the festival, including Swim Sistas (2026) here.
