How This Cult Film Family Keeps Predicting the Future
David Cronenberg is often celebrated as a visionary filmmaker, known for his unique approach to storytelling and his exploration of the intersection between technology and biology. However, it seems that his children, Caitlin and Brandon Cronenberg, may also possess an uncanny ability to anticipate future trends and crises.
Caitlin’s thriller ‘Humane’, for example, depicts a family trapped in their home during a global emergency, echoing the intense lockdowns and tensions experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. The script for ‘Humane’ was developed before the pandemic, which makes its eerie resemblance to recent events even more striking. Similarly, Brandon’s 2012 debut feature ‘Antiviral’ centers on a virus reportedly originating from a Chinese laboratory, further highlighting the Cronenberg family’s knack for prescient storytelling.
Image Courtesy: CBR
The Cronenberg family’s works often explore speculative futures where technology and biology merge in transformative and often disturbing ways. In Brandon’s ‘Infinity Pool’, the wealthy indulge in their darkest impulses through their own clones, while David’s ‘eXistenZ’ involves political intrigue within a virtual reality game with a biological interface. Caitlin’s ‘Humane’ fits this thematic pattern but also offers a more immediate and relevant reflection of contemporary issues. The film’s plot, involving a global crisis that leads to extreme population control measures, feels particularly timely given the recent global health and environmental challenges.
The origins of ‘Humane’ script, written by Michael Sparaga, were already intriguing before real-world events gave it a new layer of relevance. Caitlin Cronenberg noted that the film’s depiction of ecological collapse and its impact on society gained a new, more urgent dimension with the onset of the pandemic.
Image Courtesy: IMDb
Similarly, Brandon Cronenberg’s ‘Antiviral’ demonstrates a deep understanding of parasocial relationships and public health anxieties, inspired by his observations of celebrity culture and its effects on society. David Cronenberg’s earlier works, such as ‘Videodrome’, and his 2022 film ‘Crimes of the Future’, which addresses the evolution of humans adapting to plastic consumption due to climate change, reflect his long-standing interest in the effects of technology on the human body and psyche.
The Cronenberg family’s ability to blend speculative fiction with real-world issues showcases their insightful grasp of societal trends, making their works not just imaginative but strikingly relevant.
–Farheen Ali
