We're All Going to the World's Fair | Films of Jane Schoenbrun

After five months away, the Intrepid Filmographers return with a brand-new filmmaker series, turning their attention to Jane Schoenbrun and her distinctive approach to horror, identity, and digital culture.

Bobby Shortle and Nick Rocco Scalia begin their exploration of Schoenbrun’s filmography with We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, discussing the film’s unsettling depiction of loneliness, online communities, role-playing, and the ways digital spaces can blur the boundary between reality and fiction. They examine Schoenbrun’s minimalist visual style, the use of static compositions and found-footage techniques, and the film’s ability to create tension through atmosphere rather than conventional horror mechanics.

The conversation also explores themes of identity, dysphoria, queer representation, and the psychological effects of digital intimacy. Bobby and Nick discuss the film’s characters and their motivations, the importance of location, the ambiguity of the storytelling, and the significance of its ending.

The hosts also place We’re All Going to the World’s Fair within Schoenbrun’s larger career, considering how the filmmaker’s personal experiences and relationship with media inform the work. They look ahead to I Saw the TV Glow and begin considering Schoenbrun’s place within the evolving landscape of contemporary horror.

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