Ren Amari has just invented a cutting-edge piece of technology that could change the world – a “programmable nanofluid” that can fabricate memories inside the human brain, creating a virtual reality in the mind of the user that is indistinguishable from their waking life.
“Our incredibly brilliant main character, who’s a young programmer and scientist, is trying to secretly use it for medicinal purposes, but her business partner only sees much more fanciful applications – holidays, sex, that kind of stuff,” says Ben C. Lucas, the director and co-writer of indie sci-fi flick OtherLife.
“When we were first developing it, the two films that got referenced the most were either Strange Days or Total Recall. People always go for those films that deal with recorded or fake memories. We’re a very different beast – we’re not quite that kind of film. We’ve tried to go for the more contained, so character-driven, experience: it’s really about a girl trying to save her brother, and just how much she’s willing to sell of her brilliance to make that possible.”
Tapping into the rich vein of speculative fiction was a natural fit for Lucas – though he’s best known for the acclaimed Wasted On The Young (nominated for Best Film at the 2010 Sydney Film Festival), Lucas has always leaned towards more futuristic fare.
People always go for those films that deal with recorded or fake memories. We’re a very different beast.
“Growing up and through most of my life, I’ve always been a cyberpunk baby,” he says. “I grew up with all those films in the ’80s, Blade Runner of course being the king amongst them, and the work of people like William Gibson that has just kinda stayed with me forever.
“Sci-fi’s pretty popular at the moment, I’ve noticed. I had no intention of joining a craze, but it seems to be that I have. There’s a lot of low-budget, independent speculative science fiction floating around at the moment. I think that is less about a movement – none of us got together and talked about. I think there’s just something in the air where people are looking to branch out into genre a little bit and this is just fertile ground.”
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For Lucas, it’s a welcome change of pace. Australian film has a tendency to bog down in the overly serious, failing to take advantage of the rich cultural tapestry and raw talent that define the country. An injection of style and inventiveness is needed to lighten the mood, and that flair sweetens OtherLife’s challenging questions.
“I think it’s nice to remind audiences – Australian audiences, in particular – that filmmakers here can stretch their imaginations,” says Lucas. “I dunno why, we seem to be kind of addicted to true stories, and the minute you put in something that ‘couldn’t happen here’, people seem to cringe away from it a little bit. It’s all about what’s available – I think if more of this content gets made, more of it will be received.”
A defining factor of OtherLife is Lucas’ approach to science fiction that hints at a better world. At the moment when post-apocalyptic sensationalism has reached market saturation, there’s at least one young filmmaker leaving dystopia behind and searching for that pinprick of light in the darkness.
“That’s also in our DNA, isn’t it? I guess it’s just the Mad Max tradition – it’s gotta be post-apocalyptic,” he laughs. “I’m actually a bit of an optimist, and I enjoy being an optimist because it seems to be a rare thing.
“I think the future’s pretty bright, so it’d be nice to make films, tell stories that promise things can actually be improved, through technology or through information.”
OtherLife is playing at Event Cinemas George Street on Friday June 16 and Sunday June 18 as part of Sydney Film Festival 2017. Ben C. Lucas is also appearing at Low Budget? No Worries at the Festival Hub, Sydney Town Hall, Monday June 12.
