VIFF ´25: OBEX

I should warn you from the outset that this will be one of the most subjective reviews I have written in a long time. Although I have always said that subjectivity is inherent in the act of watching, analyzing, and discussing cinema because everyone comes from a different background, with their own wealth of experiences and ways of approaching a film on this occasion, I want to emphasize it because we are talking about the new work by one of my favourite contemporary directors: Albert Birney.

I consider Birney one of the voices deeply underrated in contemporary independent cinema.

A multifaceted director and artist, Birney already has six feature films to his name, most of which he co-directed. First, it was with John Moses, then with Kentucker Audley, and between them were two independent animations featuring their most recognizable pixel art characters: Tux and Fanny. However, OBEX marks his first foray into solo feature films and live action, and I must say I was impressed with how he condenses everything he has learned throughout his career into a single movie.

The story centres on Connor, a man who lives isolated from the world, practically sustained by his neighbour, who brings him groceries. He carries family traumas that have led him to take refuge in the only constant love of his life: his dog, Sandy. But when he discovers a mysterious video game called OBEX, the demon that inhabits the game steals what he loves most. From then on, Connor must face his demons literally and metaphorically to get it back.

Beyond the story, what struck me was how OBEX seems to dialogue with many other films that have left a mark on me. I immediately thought of Scott Pilgrim, because of the mix of video games, mental health and confrontation with one's fears; here, there are no big action scenes, but something more intimate and absurd. Quentin Dupieux's Wrong also came to mind: the awkward silences, the dry humour, the obsession with the dog, and the settings seem normal but hide something extraordinary. I feel like Connor and Dolph Springer could inhabit the same universe.

I don't think OBEX directly references those films, but it does feel like a tribute to independent cinema and what you can achieve with your own resources. Birney pours all his skills into this, from graphic design and animation to visual effects, and creates something that, despite its apparent simplicity, is poetic. Connor and Ixaroth, the demon he faces, reflect the same quest: to reconcile oneself with one's past to move forward.

If, like me, you are a fan of Birney's work, there is much to enjoy here. From the black-and-white cinematography sometimes reminiscent of The Beast Pageant to his unique humour, which blends with surrealism and fantasy, as we saw in Sylvio, I would even dare to say. Hopefully, an interview will confirm that the demon Ixaroth could be a reimagining of one of the designs seen in Strawberry Mansion. Although the characters Tux and Fanny do not appear here, Birney once again integrates his pixel art animations, giving emotional and visual texture to the video game universe.

I don't know if his long hiatus in the live-action format since Strawberry Mansion has influenced the tone of this film, but I feel that OBEX carries something deeply intimate. Behind the humour and absurdity is a heavy loneliness, a kind of self-portrait disguised as fantastic horror.

And yes, perhaps all this is too personal a reading. Maybe I see so much because I know his work, obsessions, and sensibilities. But for me, OBEX is an inventive, intelligent, baroque, and emotional film. This piece confirms Albert Birney as one of the most original voices in independent cinema today.