Inside Harmony Korine’s Wild Film That Earned 8.5-Minute Standing Ovation

Midnight screenings rarely align as perfectly as “Baby Invasion,” Harmony Korine’s latest experimental creation. This innovative and sensory-overloading film had its world premiere on Saturday night in Venice, receiving an 8.5-minute standing ovation.

Last year, Korine left audiences at the Lido in shock with “Aggro Dr1ft.” The film, shot entirely in infrared, featured twerking strippers and demonic crime lords and even led to several viewers walking out.

With his latest offering, “Baby Invasion,” Korine continues to push boundaries. This midnight must-see of 2024 centers around a group of mercenaries wearing baby faces as disguises as they invade the mansions of the wealthy and powerful.

The film, resembling a first-person shooter game, was crafted using AI and video game engines and features a score by Burial.

According to the official synopsis, “‘Baby Invasion’ is a new ultra-realistic, multiplayer FPS game following a group of mercenaries using baby faces as avatars to conceal their identity. Tasked with entering mansions of the rich and powerful and leaving nothing behind, players must explore every rabbit hole before time runs out.”

While the ovation for “Baby Invasion” may not have matched the 10-minute applause for “Aggro Dr1ft” in 2023, it was still significant. The extended applause for “Aggro Dr1ft” might have been influenced by rapper Travis Scott, who starred in that film, marking his first major role.

Harmony Korine has a long history with the Venice Film Festival. He has been attending since his early career days, debuting his film “Gummo” at the festival in 1997. Though initially not well-received by critics, “Gummo” later earned a special mention from Venice’s FIPRESCI jury. Korine’s “Spring Breakers” also had its world premiere at Venice in 2012, where it won the Future Film Festival Digital Award.

Korine’s innovative filmmaking continues to captivate audiences, each new project eagerly anticipated for the boundary-pushing visuals and unique narratives. “Baby Invasion” is yet another example of his unorthodox approach to cinema, ensuring his reputation as a provocative and pioneering director remains intact.

Source: Variety