SXSW 2023 review: ‘THE ARTIFICE GIRL’ is everything we’ve hoped and feared.

THE ARTIFICE GIRL

Writer-Director-Editor Franklin Ritch brings his festival hit THE ARTIFICE GIRL and its mesmerizing premise to SXSW 2023 audiences. When an FBI team discovers an advanced AI that entices men online, they team up with its reclusive creator. But as the years pass, technology grows beyond human capabilities, begging questions about morality in ways you won’t see coming.

The first thirty-nine minutes, or chapter one, occur in one room. One single scene sets up the plot. The dialogue is acid-tongued, and the performances are outstanding. The concept of an AI child helping catch predators makes all the sense in the world. It appears to save innumerable lives, but nothing in this world is as straightforward as it seems. What

Admittedly, it took me too long to realize that the second chapter is a jump in time. It is a brilliant visual shift in the narrative and a moment that deserves another watch. It is here our three adult battle one another from a moral standpoint. Amos realizes that Cherry has advanced to the point of “feelings.” He challenges her sensibilities with an assault on Gareth. Everything changes from this moment.

Chapter three features another jump forward, breaking the mold by exiting the unit set and bringing Cherry into the real world. We see her tethered to the wall via power cables but moving about her midcentury home. Now Lance Henriksen takes on the role of now wheelchair-bound Gareth with a calmer, wiser demeanor. This chapter is the most personal and revelatory.

David Girard plays Amos with wide-eyed astonishment and fatherly intuition. Amos’ arc proves complex and integral in Cherry’s development. Girard never fails to astound with the slightest change in facial expression. Sindra Nichols plays Deena with a seemingly hardened demeanor, basically bad cop to Girard’s good cop. Underneath, her motivation reveals the best of intentions. Nichols is captivating.

Ritch plays Gareth, and rightfully so. As the puppet master of this creation in real life, it only seems fair that his extensive knowledge is laid bare for the audience to experience in all its nuance. He hits each beat with intensity and sharpness. With a striking resemblance to a young Sarah Polley, Tatum Matthews plays Cherry with a maturity beyond her age. Ritch’s script allows her to play multiple roles. Most of her performance is delivered directly to the camera because she is an AI. Witnessing her journey is breathtaking.

The script tackles morality, science, privacy, entrapment, children’s rights, autonomy, and unresolved trauma. THE ARTIFICE GIRL would also make a spectacular stage play. The quality of Franklin Ritch’s storytelling is mesmerizing and complex. The possibilities are endless for this story. I am here for whatever comes next.

PS- A perfect ending.


Film Screenings

Mar 11, 2023
11:30am1:03pm
 
Mar 12, 2023
9:00pm10:33pm
 
Mar 15, 2023
12:45pm2:18pm
 
Mar 15, 2023
1:15pm2:48pm
 

Credits

Director:

Franklin Ritch

Executive Producer:

Peter Kuplowsky

Producer:

Aaron B. Koontz, Ashleigh Snead

Screenwriter:

Franklin Ritch

Cinematographer:

Britt McTammany

Editor:

Franklin Ritch

Sound Designer:

Jason Strawley, Dave Chmela

Music:

Alex Cuervo

Principal Cast:

Tatum Matthews, Sinda Nichols, David Girard, Franklin Ritch, Lance Henriksen

Additional Credits:

Co-Producer: Cameron Burns, Co-Producer: Alex Euting, Line Producer: Jason Blankenship