Loobtopia

Part hypothetical video-game, part everyday home video, the film delves into the life of 'Luby,' my (not-so-)alter-ego, and her search for the kingdom of ‘Loobtopia'. She undertakes a poignant journey, confronting the shadows of a childhood interrupted, and wrestling with conflicting emotions of guilt and gratitude. She is always moving, consumed by an insatiable desire for a fictional free-space: ‘Loobtopia'. Yet, resolution remains elusive, mirroring the very essence of the term 'utopia'—a place that does not exist.

Her chaotic meandering quest is accompanied by an intricately complex voice-over narration. The film looks at Luby's past and present, beginning in her formative years amidst the untamed landscapes of the South African bush. Her ‘search for utopia’ unfolds across continents, London blends into Tokyo, which blends into endless digital spaces… She is attracted to ‘The Rave’, as it’s said to be a utopia - a ‘temporary autonomous zone’. Accompanied by DIY a cappella techno, a monologue dissects the unspoken rules that govern the supposedly ‘free’ spaces of underground clubs.

Luby’s friends morph into digital sims, and their presence is both surreal and grounding. Amidst the narrative, an intriguing advertisement for 'the no-place' materialises, offering fragments of Luby's 'Favourite Things', while juxtaposed against flat snapshots of digital cityscapes and an AI generated map of ‘Loobtopia’. As the film unfurls, a crescendo of enigmatic scenes culminates in a surreal walk through nature, set against an eerie musical backdrop that harmonises with Luby's haunting sleep talking.

Seamlessly melding original footage enhanced through meticulous editing, interwoven text, AI-generated visuals, and 'the Sims' screen-recordings, the film becomes a living homage to Luby's expansive context—a frenetic world interwoven with the realms of AI, Web3, and the increasingly blurred boundaries between the digital and the tangible.

Luby, a product of her time, represents a generation propelled by video games, memes, and an internet that incessantly demands attention and validation. She has a constant pixelated headache.

Enter her metaverse: 'Loobtopia,' a realm that transcends conventional realities, offering an evocative exploration of identity, nostalgia, and the relentless pursuit of an intangible paradise.