Imitations
2016 · 10m · Canada
Directed by Markus Milos Ian Fabian
Genres: dark comedy, horror
Tones: absurdist, darkly comic, surreal
A Film By: Markus Milos Ian Fabian
Picked by Felix
The scouts
A superfan's face literally disintegrating during karaoke is the kind of premise that makes you laugh and recoil simultaneously—it's irreverent body horror wrapped in celebrity-obsession satire, the exact kind of 'wait, WHAT?' that consensus taste usually avoids but shouldn't.
The film situates itself in a lineage of transgressive dark comedy and practical-effects horror, but its tonal balance between absurdist body horror and genuine pathos feels less rigorously considered than its premise deserves.
The decision to execute the facial deterioration practically during the karaoke scene—letting the grotesque unfold in real time against the mundane backdrop of public performance—is the choice that transforms a high-concept joke into something genuinely unsettling and memorable.
Reviews
It's a gloriously outlandish ~10 minutes that is unsettling, dark, sweet, and incredibly funny.
Festivals
- Toronto International Film Festival 2016
- Fantastic Fest 2016
- Vancouver International Film Festival 2016
- Monster Fest 2016