In Nick Azzaro’s short film Alpha 27, nothing is stronger than the bonds of human connection. The stronger the bond, the more devastating the break.
In the far distant future, Earth’s overpopulation has forced the colonization of space in orbiting outposts across the galaxy. Free travel between Earth and the outposts has caused great tension, to the point that Earth has gone to extraordinary lengths to deport all persons not born on Earth and return them to their outposts of origin.
The deportation directly affects Diego (Jake I. Garcia) and Marcus (Kadan Well Bennett), who fell in love on Earth when Diego was visiting Earth from outpost Alpha 27. In a panic, Marcus decides to spare no expense and bribe whoever can be bribed to give Diego a waiver from deportation.

“…Earth has gone to extraordinary lengths to deport all persons not born on Earth…”
Writer/director Azzaro uses the sci-fi theme to distill the plight many worldwide face when friends, families, and lovers are forced to separate due to outside political forces. Alpha 27 does not precisely address a specific modern-day issue, but we know it’s there and can sometimes feel a bit heavy-handed. The short explores the idea of love, separation, and the resilience of the human spirit to stop at nothing to be together. The story is told beautifully through the eyes of Jake I. Garcia as Diego.
The world built in Alpha 27 is quite spectacular for a low-budget indie short, due in part to the blending of computer graphics for the space elements and the use of light and camera filters to create a futuristic earth without breaking the bank on props and sets.
Alpha 27 is a poignant exploration of love and separation set against a richly imagined sci-fi backdrop. Nick Azzaro effectively uses the genre to highlight the emotional toll of forced separation, crafting a story that resonates on both a personal and universal level. With strong performances and impressive world-building, this short film beautifully captures the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.