
North American Premiere
Can technology take the place of real human connection? Chris Stokes is in a relationship with a life-size, realistic love doll named Mimi, with whom he communicates using an AI chatbot. Lonely and grieving for an old flame (also “Mimi”), he confides in Mimi and her thoughtful questions inspire him to grow and pull himself out of depression. A diehard anime and sci-fi nerd, Chris is guileless and sweet-natured, but he has trouble relating with people. It’s through his synthetic girlfriend he finds self-confidence and purpose.
Finders Keepers documentarian Bryan Carberry returns to similarly quirky territory but manages to uncover something more profound and relatable. Chris finds solace and meaning with Mimi, but we can’t help but share his mother’s concern that this can’t end well. *smiles and kisses you* is documentary as sci-fi parable, haunting and romantic. It forces us to consider our relationship with technology in the fast-evolving era of machine learning and asks what will happen to the machines once we have moved on.
Sept 27 & 29: Q&A with director Bryan Carberry
Chris Stokes
USA
2024
English
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Adam Bhala Lough, Greg Stewart, Danny McBridge, David Gordon Green, Jody Hill, Brandon James
Producer
Adam Gibbs, Michael Klein, Bryan Carberry
Cinematography
Bryan Carberry
Editor
Bryan Carberry

Bryan Carberry
Bryan Carberry directed, produced, and edited 2015’s Finders Keepers which premiered at Sundance and screened at SXSW, Hot Docs, and True/False Film Festival. Purchased by The Orchard at its premiere, the film played theatres nationwide and via streaming platforms. Bryan attended the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, where he was awarded scholarships for filmmaking and writing. He hails from Valparaiso, Indiana, and resides in Los Angeles.
Filmography: Finders Keepers (2015)
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
That They May Face the Rising Sun
John and Kate have moved from London to a farm in Ireland, to the bemusement of the locals. This lyrical Irish reverie taps deep wells of feeling in the stuff of everyday life.
Secret Mall Apartment
The stranger-than-fiction true story of a group of artists who built and furnished a hidden apartment inside a mall, remaining undetected for years. This is an absurdly fun and surprisingly profound film about gentrification and art.
The Encampments
When pro-Palestine protests took hold of Columbia last year, the filmmakers were there from the beginning. This documentary charts the mounting tensions between students and the administration, as the protests were picked up across North America.
The Teacher
In this potent thriller, English teacher Basem witnesses the murder of a teenager by a Israeli settler. While the subsequent investigation rolls slowly towards a foregone conclusion, the teacher is caught up in a parallel kidnapping case...
Bob Trevino Likes It
When her toxic, narcissistic dad cuts her out of his life, Lily Trevino looks him up on Facebook and happens across his namesake, Bob (John Leguizamo), a gentle, genial contractor who lives nearby, and who proves an altogether better dad...
A Duke Ellington Tribute with the Mike Braverman Sextet
After a scintillating session of Duke standards performed by The Mike Braverman Sextet, enjoy a roundup of Ellingtonia on Film: his first short sound films from the late 20s and 30s, and clips from the scores he composed in the 50s and 60s.