lapsis

Lapsis is the title of a 2021 American science fiction film directed by Noah Hutton. The work is an independent production that gained attention in festival and genre circles for its provocative premise and low-budget execution.

The plot centers on Ray, a courier who signs up to work a gig in a near-future economy built around laying fiber-optic networks to support a highly active cryptocurrency market. As he becomes entangled in a complex network of labor and corporate interests, the film explores themes of digital labor, surveillance, and the ethical implications of infrastructure that underpins modern commerce. The story uses its speculative setting to examine how incentives within gig work and technological systems shape individual choices and social outcomes.

Production and style are notable for a documentary-like approach and a dry, observational tone. The film employs practical effects and a grounded aesthetic to convey its imagined world without relying on heavy special effects, emphasizing ideas and character over spectacle. This approach has led to comparisons with other contemplative eco-sf and social-issue cinema in the indie sphere.

Reception to Lapsis has been mixed-to-positive among critics in independent cinema. It has been praised for its timely critique of labor in the digital economy and for its atmospheric feel, while some reviewers note pacing or tonal shifts as potential drawbacks. Overall, it is regarded as a thoughtful meditation on networks, work, and the unseen infrastructures that power contemporary technology.

Aside from the film, lapsis does not have a widely established meaning in common usage, and references to lapsis typically pertain to the film title in contemporary sources.