In the US, a legal guardian can be granted official authority to seize the assets of the elderly for their own self-interest. In the satirical comedy I Care A Lot, we saw this this law being exploited through the eyes of a manipulative swindler but the latest film from Canadian director Karl R. Hearne takes the pensioner’s point of view.
Just how far would a desperate person go to get a selfie with someone famous? Scottish filmmaker Ciaran Lyons explores this in his impressive feature debut Tummy Monster. Fusing psychological thriller elements with jet black comedy, the plot centres around tattoo artist Tales (Lorn Macdonald) who is living out of his studio following a run of misfortunes. When an American pop star (Orlando Norman) and his security guard (Michael Akinsilure) turn up at his shop in the dead of night, he thinks his luck might have changed. After giving him the ink that he desires, Tales asks for a quick snap as a memento because his ‘niece is a big fan’ but when the musician surprisingly declines, their spat starts to spiral out of control.