A creative and driven teenager is desperate to escape his hometown and the haunting memories of his turbulent childhood.

Closet Monster is a distinctively offbeat and emotionally striking coming-of-age story about a creative teenager who is desperate to escape his hometown and the haunting memories of his turbulent childhood.

When Oscar Madly (Connor Jessup) was a child, he witnessed a brutal gay bashing, and the subsequent trauma, coupled with his parent’s divorce soon after, left him deeply emotionally scarred. Fast forward ten years and Oscar is a sexually confused high school student and aspiring special effects makeup artist living with his bitter, alcoholic father. As the teen struggles with his budding sexuality, Oscar is haunted by nightmares of the attack he witnessed. He relies on his best friend Gemma for support and receives sage advice from his pet hamster, Buffy (voiced by the wonderfully eccentric Isabella Rossellini). His world is thrown into further disarray when he becomes obsessed with Wilder, a charismatic and sexually ambiguous coworker at the hardware store.

Deftly balancing elements of fantasy and drama with well-placed humour, Stephen Dunn’s first feature is a fresh, imaginative take on the traditional coming-of-age story, and marked the arrival of a bold new directorial talent on the Canadian film scene. -INSIDE OUT

Content Advisory: This program contains depictions of homophobic violence, sexual assault, and abuse.

Access Notes: Presented with Open Captions. Seating is GA; first-come, first-served, but you must reserve your spot in advance— Grab your ticket now and meet us at the cinema. Limited to 2 tickets per person.

Doors Open 30 Minutes Before Showtime.