In competition for the FIPRESCI Prize.
film synopsis
There’s a reason Tom (Dan Stevens) seems all too polished and perfect for accomplished yet lonely anthropologist Alma (Maren Eggert): He’s a robot. Given to her for a three-week trial run, Tom is a custom android who constantly recalibrates his own algorithm to perfectly match Alma’s likes and dislikes and grow into her uniquely designed life partner. But as Alma grows increasingly frustrated with his overattention and the reality of a partner who’s merely an extension of herself, she finds Tom’s awkwardness can also be revealing, giving her a fresh perspective on her own many foibles. Director and co-writer Maria Schrader’s startlingly fresh and unconventional high-concept philosophical romance provides a keen insight into the intricacies of human behavior, and strikes a nimble balance between whimsy and melancholy.