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LIFELIKE

By Gabor HERENDI

Science-fiction - Development 2021

Purchased by a dysfunctional family to manage their busy lives, a domestic-help android’s iron-willed commitment to fulfil an unspoken mission uncovers her owners’ darkest behaviours – causing them to destroy her and, ultimately, to regain their humanity.

- Year of production
- 2021
- Genres
- Science-fiction, Thriller, Drama
- Countries
- HUNGARY, CANADA
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Budget
- 5 - 10 M$
- Duration
- 105 mn
- Director(s)
- Gabor HERENDI
- Writer(s)
- Matthew WYGODNY
- Synopsis
- In an alternate suburbia in 2038, stockbroker HARLEY GOULDING (50) and his high-powered accountant wife, FAYE GOULDING (45), visit SIMULACRUM ROBOTICS, to purchase a simbot, a lifelike android housekeeper. Little do they know that in addition to domestic tasks, MAIA (25) is fulfilling an unspoken ‘mission’. The Gouldings live estranged from each other at home. When Faye is fired, she starts drinking excessively and becomes depressed. Harley is reoccupied with his debts. The Gouldings’s son, ZACK (13), is solely interested in violent video games. Only the older child, LEX (18), bonds with Maia over her
  secret. The girl is terrified because she’s pregnant and abortion is illegal. When Lex begs Maia to perform an abortion on her, Maia declines; she can’t break the law.
  One night a sexually frustrated Harley hacks Maia to equip her with ‘special skills.’ As a result, she develops feelings and doubts; she even protects Zack from being hit by his father. ADAMS (40), director of sales at Simulacrum, resets her software. Faye is increasingly upset by Maia’s presence. She wants to return her, but Harley needs Maia to prepare a lavish dinner in hopes of wooing his boss, BERNARD (70), into giving him a long-overdue promotion. Dinner is a success, the promotion is offered. However, all hell breaks loose when Bernard finds out about Harley’s illegal trading; he’s promptly fired. Harley blames Maia, and now he’s ready to return her. Fearing failure, Maia locks down the house. The Gouldings send an error report to Adams. The family unites to unleash a torrent of violence, destroying and tying Maia up in a Christ-like pose in her
  charging station. When Adams arrives and revives Maia – revealing that he’s also a simbot - the Gouldings share a moment of clarity: Maia’s act of self-sacrifice was her mission to reinstate their humanity and their
  familial bonds. This finally gives Lex the courage to come forward about her secret pregnancy. Maia has completed her mission after all.
- Beginning of shooting
- Oct 04, 2021