In this film, a father-to-be fears the loss of his freedom under the pressure and shackles of parenthood
Directed by Kasra Farahani, Tilt is the story of a man slowly giving in to his darkest and most abhorrent urges. The film, which had its Canadian premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival on July 13, is rife with cinematic cues and hints that help the audience understand the protagonist’s fraying mental state, perhaps even before he understands it himself.
Joseph (Joseph Cross) and Joanne (Alexia Rasmussen) are having a baby, and everyone is happy for them. Or at least, everyone except Joseph, who can’t seem to feel excited at the prospect of becoming a father. He might have his biological baby coming, but he also has his other creation: a documentary film on America’s “Golden Age” and the country’s almost religious devotion to consumerism. Unsurprisingly, his friends are more interested in his biological child than his creative one, a reality that irks him.
As Joseph struggles with the impending and profound lifestyle change, he slips ever deeper into darkness, his nightly escapades becoming increasingly violent and deranged. He is stressed, his project is stalling and he is facing potential financial insecurity. At the epicentre of all his concerns, frustrations and rage is his unborn child. In a particularly chilling scene, the audience realizes that Joseph doesn’t inherently have a problem with all babies — just his own.
Tilt will keep you on the edge of your seat as you anxiously watch Joseph sink deeper and deeper into his frenzied behaviour, worrying what his next outburst will be and who it will be aimed at.