Spanish-Estonian science fiction film INFINITE SUMMER had its world premiere at Fantasia Film Festival a few days ago. Written and directed by Miguel Llansó (experimental, virtual-reality-themed JESUS SHOWS YOU THE WAY TO THE HIGHWAY), the film is rooted in familiar versions of transhumanism and new concepts that are genuinely unique to the genre.

Introverted high school graduate Mia (Teele Kaljuvee-O’Brock) is not enjoying her summer. Her childhood friend Greta (Johanna Aurelia Rosin)has brought her new friend Sarah (Hannah Gross), and all they want to do is party. When she meets a man who calls himself ‘Dr mindfulness’, he gives her a respirator that lets her see a personal meditation guide- a giant purple wormhole. Greta and Sarah’s trips do not go as well and thrust Mia into an investigation on who -or what- is distributing these psychedelic contraptions.

INFINITE SUMMER is a rainbow ride on a BLACK MIRROR episode with a touch of fantasy. A teenage POSSESSOR with its melding of mind and tech. But chill out, man, and enjoy the mind-altering party (or, like, don’t. It’s kind of creepy).

The film features classic mind-attuned headsets and hologram Facetime, standard futuristic tech, but this doesn’t mean that infinite summer should get tossed among its genre peers; it has some fun stuff, such as 3D dating apps – but those hallucinogen-filled respirators that change people into vaping zombies, now that is fucking cool. 

I enjoyed the performances in INFINITE SUMMER. Ciaron Davies as ‘Dr Mindfullness’  was especially entertaining and brought levity to the film. The police officers were also clearly supposed to be some comic relief, but it doesn’t quite land. Kaljuvee-O’Brock as Mia made us so invested in the story; such a sweet character to base a film around.

The special effects are what make INFINITE SUMMER truly memorable, seamlessly blending into the story and standing out at the same time. It’s exactly what attendees at Fantasia Festival come to see! Characters coughing up sentient, colourful gas? Amazing. It’s an innovative film that also blows you away with its trippy visuals.

INFINITE SUMMER weaves plotlines: one, a police mystery, on the other, a story about friendship and being confident in your own skin. It wraps them up in bigger sci-fi stakes for humanity, as the film ominously tells us, “The zoos imitated natural and wild environments, so the animals forget they are prisoners.” Spooky. And something viewers will want to find out its meaning. Fantasia Film Festival runs until August 4th.

“The special effects are what make INFINITE SUMMER truly memorable, seamlessly blending into the story and standing out at the same time. It’s exactly what attendees at Fantasia Festival come to see!”