GLASSHOUSE P&I

Set in a future where the air has been poisoned with a memory-erasing toxin, every day is a struggle to survive. In the midst of a post-apocalyptic forest lies a beautiful glass house, sealed against both the toxic air and potentially toxic strangers. The occupants — Mother, her three daughters, and one son — spend their days tending to the garden which sustains them and taking shifts on the lookout for danger from the outside world. One day during her turn as sentinel, daughter Bee takes pity on an injured man and brings him back home with her. With their sanctuary infiltrated by this strange man, doubt and questioning of familial rituals begin to grow in the girls, throwing them into turmoil and invading their psyche and home like an invasive weed. As Mother struggles to maintain control over her family, hidden truths are uncovered and unbelievably difficult decisions about life and death must be made as a result.

This stylish and assured first time feature from director Kelsey Egan plays out like a dystopian BEGUILED, featuring intricate world-building and permeated with a haunting atmosphere. A subtle sci-fi which relies on great performances to move the story forward rather than special effects, Egan has constructed a startling vision of the future that feels frighteningly within the realms of possibility. With its dreamy, ethereal cinematography and gorgeous set and costume design, GLASSHOUSE is an immersive, entrancing cinematic experience. (LISA DREYER)