We welcome back James N. Kienitz Wilkins to MDFF, whose previous two films both screened at TIFF. In fact, this new feature is a thematic follow-up (not a sequel) to 2019’s The Plagiarists, co-written again by Wilkins and Robin Schavoir. The Misconceived is a tragicomedy about millennials turning forty, which follows a struggling yet entitled white American male found throughout the annals of indie film who apprehends his likely cultural irrelevance during the Biden era. The film utilizes experimental 3D-rendered processes entirely within a video game engine, utilizing motion capture, facial recognition, voice performance, and a vast library of stock media. The Misconceived takes full advantage of the new ability to shoot in virtual worlds and a marketplace of 3D architectural and character models to create an uncanny mirror to contemporary society (notably, not using generative AI). Wilkins has stated that “In many ways, the movie is an argument for and against its right to exist.” After having its world premiere at the 2026 Rotterdam International Film Festival, this screening will be its North American Premiere.

KAZIK RADWANSKI