by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

We're All Going to the World's Fair (dir. Jane Schoenbrun)

We're All Going to the World's Fair is a film I have been interested in for some time now as it made the festival circuits earlier in the year. The story is about an online game that has become a sensation. Those who participate in the game report having strange and potentially terrifying side effects. A young girl decides to participate in the game and we watch as she falls further down the rabbit hole. Writer and director Jane Schoenbrun crafts a fascinating story that was truly unsettling from the moment it started. It very much feels like an indie version of a creepypasta story and its simple storytelling makes it all the more engrossing. The film has a lot to say about internet trends and the people who become obsessed with them. There are still questions I have about where the film goes, it diverges feeling like it loses some of its steam as it goes along. But the initial ideas are so interesting, and the lead performance from Anna Cobb is tremendous. It is a film that makes you empathize with this lonely girl who is clearly looking for something to tether her to this world. The film also highlights the loneliness that can come from growing up in small town America, and how the internet can be the main way we connect with others.I do not know if I love where the story goes as it moves away from more of its horror elements, but the whole story is very compelling and made for interesting conversation once the credits rolled.

Poser (dir. Ori Sergev and Noah Dixon)

If you love a thriller set around the underground music scene Poser might be perfect for you. Poser follows Lennon, an outsider that wants so desperately to fit into the growing art and music scene around her. She decides to start a podcast so she can talk to and learn more about the artists around her. She becomes obsessed with Bobbi Kitten, the lead singer of the band Damn the Witch Siren. The two become close but Lennon’s obsession becomes increasingly unhealthy and culminates in a wild ending. It is hard not to feel some empathy for Lennon who feels so set apart from a community and scene that she seems to love. The film does a great job playing with that while you become increasingly aware of her issues. Many scenes did a great job of hinting at the ultimate climax of the film and I am sure there is more you can pick up on future watches. I really enjoyed the way the film looked and the amount of incredible music that was played throughout it. I had no idea Damn the Witch Siren was a real band so I was also excited to discover some new music I liked while watching the film. It was interesting how many films I watched that were about these lonely outsider kinds of characters and how unique and interesting they all were. Poser was an unsettling watch that I have not been able to get out of my brain since watching.

Alison’s Birthday (dir. Ian Coughlan)

Alison’s Birthday was one of the films the festival highlighted as part of its folk horror selection. Due to Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched Kier-La Janisse folk horror documentary there were several films offered to give festival goers a taste of what the subgenre has to offer. As a fan of folk horror and someone who has become fond of Australian horror I was excited to make time for this alongside the new releases. When Alison is 16 and has a seance with her friends, she is warned by the ghost of her father not to spend her 19th birthday with her family or else she will die. Flashforward to Alison about to be 19 and wondering if she should heed this warning. Ultimately her aunt and uncle convince her to go and she immediately notices something dark and sinister around her. Alison has to figure out if she is actually in danger or if she is simply imagining things. I love the 70s/80s satanic cult conspiracy films. The fascination with it always interests me. This particular film uses a more obscure goddess and Celtic cult to tells its tale which was even more interesting. It essentially equates matriarchal religions with evil. The film was some interesting imagery and it is fascinating to watch it all play out. I love the vibrant colors and simple effects it uses to tell its story. If you can access this film you certainly should.

So that wraps up my Nightstream festival experience. It was a well curated experience with tons of events and films to keep you engaged throughout. Truly my only complaint is that it was not longer as I would have loved to check out many of the other events, shorts programs, and other features the festival offered. But check out the fest and all of these films!