This afternoon at the Royal Cinema on College St, the last features of the Canadian Film Fest get underway, first up is Ben’s at Home directed by Mars Horodyski. But before that, is the brilliant short, This is Not What You had Planned. It’s written and directed by Christopher Warre Smets and Jefferson Brown, alongside our friends, Kristian Bruun, Natalie Lisinska and Elizabeth Whitmere. So right off the bat, what’s not to like? Actually it’s a fantastic tale, that delves honestly with relationships, needs, communication, connection and loneliness. So good!

Ben’s At Home was written by Mars Horodyski and Dan Abramovici, who also stars as Ben. I should note right up front, there is some fantastic music by Freedom or Death, love this soundtrack!

Newly single, and just turned 30, Ben is a little tired of it all, and decides to do something amazing, and honestly, something I’m sure we’ve all thought of countless times. Not leaving the house. Ever. Well, except maybe to walk the dog. Shunning the outside world, and by extension so many of his friends and family, much to their upset, Ben decides to stay at home, work from home, shop from home, and even date from home (I just want to know what site he is on that gets these girls he’s never met to have a first date at his apartment!).

Things change when he meets Jess (Jessica Embro), the delivery girl and his family and friends will only take this idea for so long… isn’t it better to be part of the world?

Sly commentary on the modern society where we’re all plugged in…

Get your tickets here.