[Film Review] We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2021)

Spoiler free!

“For most people I know it’s a really big change...that’s not what it feels like for me.” 

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2021), written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun, is identity horror - taking place in the mind where one’s identity resides. The film depicts its central character grappling with changes in herself - changes she both welcomes and fears; mysterious changes she cannot predict. 

Casey (Anna Cobb) sits in front of her laptop to record herself taking the World’s Fair Challenge and uploads the video to her YouTube channel. She completes all the steps of the challenge in order and she looks into her laptop camera before repeating three times “I want to go to the world’s fair.” She pricks her finger, smears blood on the laptop screen, and watches a video of flashing neon lights. Then she waits for changes to happen. Some internet personalities that Casey follows report drastic changes after taking the challenge, such as turning into vampires, evil clowns, plastic dolls - we even see one person who seems to be turning into a carnival game. As Casey is researching the challenge and waiting to see what changes emerge for her, she is contacted by a middle-aged man named JLB (Michael J Rogers). He doesn’t show Casey his face, instead he urges her to “keep making videos, so he knows she’s ok.”, the idea of an older man giving instructions to a teenage girl without revealing his identity creating a feeling of uneasiness.Casey explains to her followers that she did the World’s Fair Challenge because “she loves horror movies and thought it would be cool to try actually living in one.” 

Other than Casey and JLB, another character we hear of in the film is Casey’s father. She mentions him a few times, but we never meet him. At one point, someone bangs on Casey's bedroom door and admonishes her for being awake at 3am. Presumably, that’s her father. Casey is so isolated, we never see her with or hear of any real-life friends - she is an anxious, insecure teenage girl. We see her questioning her ideas and her creativity as she makes videos. She finds comfort and company in online connections. When she can’t sleep, she watches an ASMR video of a young woman reassuring her and urging her back to bed. But she seems to grow more comfortable as time passes after completing the challenge. At one point, frustrated with JBL, she finds some confidence, asking him, “who are you to tell me how it is?” Casey asserts that searching for her identity is her own journey, and not for anyone to prescribe to her. 

The idea of the world’s fair being the center of the challenge is fascinating. I’ll admit I don’t know much about the history of the world’s fair as an event, but it sounds magical, whimsical, and fun. And to express aloud “I want to go to the world’s fair” sounds a lot like “I want something fun and new in my life.” Furthermore, the idea that many people are doing this at the same time offers a sense of community. Hence the togetherness implied in the title We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. As an isolated, lonely teen, why wouldn’t you want to go to a big party with all your internet friends? Lonely enough, and you might begin to try anything for a feeling of companionship. 

According to writer and director Jane Schoenbrun, production wrapped on March 1st 2020. That means this film was created before the Covid-19 pandemic really took hold and affected the Western world. It’s an extremely poignant story on its own, but especially taken in light of the pandemic. Loneliness, isolation, living online, and trying out new things just to have something to look forward to are all familiar concepts lately. Director Jane said that, as a trans woman, she did not intend to make a trans film, but many trans people have told her how personal the film felt to them. It’s a story about changing and finding your identity, grappling with internal and external influences. I can see how this story could feel personal to anyone going through identity exploration or discovery. It puts emotions on screen that can be hard to verbalize.

The film will leave you wondering what’s real and what’s imagined, and wondering if that distinction makes a difference. It’s a perfect example of the fact that content creators and internet personalities only show you what they want you to see. It’s the definition of an atmospheric film - quiet, patient, and making incredible use of color and sound. Making the festival circuit in 2021, it was picked up for distribution in 2022. This movie got under my skin, and I hope you give it the chance to get under yours.

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