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PUZZLEHEAD

7 April Friday, 10pm
CHICAGO PREMIERE
James Bai | 2005 | 81 min | 35mm | USA
Starring Stephen Galaida and Robbie Shapiro

Reclusive scientist and engineer Walter (Stephen Galaida) creates an android, Puzzlehead, in the image of himself. Puzzlehead is imbued with his “father’s” memories, emotions and tendencies but at a limited capacity to understand and process them. He is taught everything from the basics of movement to the complexities of playing the harpischord. Walter sends Puzzlehead out to go to the store for the first time, but Puzzlehead gets damaged, not yet having fully grasped the intricacies of interaction and dangers of those with malicious intent. After some modifications and lessons from Walter, Puzzlehead is able to stop a robbery at the store and saves the storekeeper Julia (Robbie Shapiro) in the process. Realizing his growing familiarity with and desire for Julia stem from Walter’s obsession for her, Puzzlehead wrestles with his own self-conscious growth and identity and the intentions and advances of Walter. Both father and creation use deception and diguise to fool each other and even Julia, who starts to question which of them she wants to keep.
With seamless special effects and timeless production design reminiscent of both Victorian restraint and a disillusioned present, first-time feature director/writer James Bai presents the compelling and stark world of man, machine and woman—each of them shaped by the uncertainties of one another.

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