Our journey into virtual worlds begins at 7pm with David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ (1999), a sci-fi thriller that masterfully blurs the line between gaming and reality. 

Starring Jennifer Jason Leigh as Allegra Geller, a revolutionary game designer, and Jude Law as her reluctant protector Ted Pikul, eXistenZ plunges us into the surreal and sinister world of immersive virtual reality. When a demonstration of Allegra’s groundbreaking game system goes violently awry, the pair are forced to navigate a labyrinth of conspiracies and glitches—both inside the game and out. With its grotesque organic consoles and shocking moments of body horror, the film explores the physical and psychological costs of technology that can rewrite reality itself. 

Cronenberg’s visionary exploration of identity, control, and the seductive danger of escapism resonates deeply with gaming culture. eXistenZ is a provocative critique of our desire for immersion, where the boundaries between player and game, creator and creation, disintegrate. Both a cerebral narrative and a visceral experience, the film has become a cult favorite for fans of speculative fiction and boundary-pushing cinema. 

With its fusion of gaming aesthetics, Cronenberg’s signature body horror, and a gripping, reality-bending plot, eXistenZ is an unmissable cinematic dive into the uncanny possibilities of virtual worlds.