FANTASIA 2021 | "STANLEYVILLE" Capsule Review; Offbeat, Bleak, Quirky

There is a part of everyone that yearns to be as innocent, wide-eyed, and optimistic as Maria Barbizan, the main character in Stanleyville who is chosen to participate in a bizarre contest alongside four other contestants. This contest promises a sports SUV as the grand prize, but more importantly to Maria, the opportunity to find personal growth and transcendence in the midst of a mundane and seemingly invisible life. 

With the prominent theme of survival, a conflict that escalates to more and more harrowing levels, and an innocent main character awakening to the reality of reality, it's easy to draw comparisons to a dark comedy selection from last year's Fantasia festival, Survival Skills. But in this feature length directorial debut, Maxwell McCabe-Lokos crafts a uniquely offbeat story with a distinct desaturated style that visually communicates the bleakness of this world Maria exists in.

The dark comedy aspect of the film is an asset to the entertainment value. And ultimately by the end, there's something to take away from the experience. For some, it's transcendence. For others, it's perspective on humanity. And for one lucky winner, it's a brand new sports SUV. You can decide which of these things, if any, is worth it.

DIRECTOR

Maxwell McCabe-Lokos

CAST

Susanne Wuest, Julian Richings, Cara Ricketts, Christian Serritiello

PRODUCER

Hayley Brown, Riel Roch Decter