Partial Visions is a screening series that promotes film culture at UML by screening a mix of classical and contemporary films that experiment with cinematic suspense, psychological thrills, narrative complexity, identity, and point of view. It is designed to provide a space for the discussion and appreciation of film and film history, as well as to promote the film minor at UML.
On Thursday, April 30, Partial Visions will be David Cronenberg’s mind-bending psychological thriller eXistenZ. Released just a few weeks after The Matrix in 1999, the film’s twisting plot about characters caught in a virtual simulation was overshadowed by its similarities with that more popular franchise. But eXistenZ’s explorations of the relationships between digital technology, virtually reality, and the human body put a unique, Cronenbergian spin on these familiar themes that merits critical attention. A discussion of these issues and Q&A about the film will follow the screening.