Harmony Korine’s latest project, “Baby Invasion,” is turning heads with its unsettling and unconventional approach to filmmaking. The ultra-realistic, multiplayer first-person shooter game uses AI technology to create baby-faced avatars for the players, adding a disturbing layer to the gaming experience. The game follows a group of mercenaries who use baby-faced avatars to conceal their identities as they navigate the mansions of the rich and powerful.
As players explore every rabbit hole before time runs out, the boundaries between the digital and real worlds begin to blur, creating an experience that challenges traditional expectations. “Baby Invasion” made its world premiere out of competition at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, where it garnered attention for its pioneering vision.
Korine’s baby-faced avatar mayhem
Film editor Ryan Lattanzio commented on Korine’s unique approach, stating, “Harmony Korine is going to do whatever the hell he wants, and in the case of his disturbing and anti-audience movie ‘Baby Invasion,’ he turns the trigger-junkie protagonist at the top of a video game into the eyes and ears of a motion picture.
Lattanzio further elaborated on the film’s impact, saying, “‘Baby Invasion’ has a clear focus: It’s to make you, the viewer, feel bad, and often want to beg the screen, ‘Please God, let this end.’ Here is a filmmaker who, these days, resents his own audience. Here is a movie for no one.”
Korine’s latest project is related to his previous work, Aggro Dr1ft, which debuted at Venice in 2023. The filmmaker explained his fascination with pushing the boundaries of cinema, stating, “If you’re not messing with the form a little bit, then what’s the point?”
We’re making films now in gaming engines and working on a horror film set in your living room or bedroom—a film in which the characters pop out of the closet.
“Baby Invasion” is set to have its New York premiere on March 21 at the Knockdown Center in Queens, an arts center known for hosting packed all-night techno raves. This unconventional venue choice aligns with Korine’s avant-garde style and his aim to redefine entertainment through his Miami-based creative lab and art collective, EDGLRD. As the premiere approaches, anticipation grows for Korine’s latest provocative and visually arresting film, which promises to wash over viewers like digital hypnosis or a tech drug rather than a traditional narrative experience.
Image Credits: Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
Noah Nguyen is a multi-talented developer who brings a unique perspective to his craft. Initially a creative writing professor, he turned to Dev work for the ability to work remotely. He now lives in Seattle, spending time hiking and drinking craft beer with his fiancee.
