BUFF 2026 Film Review - Castration Movie Chapter iii. Junior Ghosts—Premorphic Drift; a fragmentary passage
Louise Weard continues to live up to her namesake by putting the trans in transgressive in a festival cut of her newest lengthily titled Castration Movie chapter.
After an intense cold open (no spoilers), the Canadian film follows overwhelmed support worker Izzy (Avalon Fast) as she tries her hardest to prevent her partner (Henry Gillespie) from transitioning. Despite being a sequel, the film is easily accessible regardless of whether or not you’ve watched the previous films.
The film’s visual style is in line with the previous entries, shot completely on a Hi8 camcorder, handheld style, with this instalment in the series implementing significantly more one takes in the film. This combined with the smaller cast and comparatively less surreal plot allow the film to feel more intimate and grounded. The pacing is also smoother, with Weard reducing the amount of extensive live music performances in the film from previous entries, instead using more diegetic music to accompany things happening onscreen. These are emphasised by the complete absence of non-diegetic music, or most music completely, overall making the film reminiscent of the radical Danish filmmaking movement ‘Dogme 95.’
Fast is great in her role, perfectly embodying her character in a way the audience loves to hate, and Gillespie plays his role well both as Trent, and then as Tiffany. Jane Schroenbrun, the director of I Saw the TV Glow (2024) also makes a brief appearance, in an argument with Weard herself on screen as well.
Castration Movie Chapter III balances a Kath and Kim level of mundane comedy with a sickening toxic relationship, showing Izzy’s attempts at trying (and failing) to come to terms with the scenario. Izzy’s work as an over-the-phone therapist allows the film to use her patients as a Greek chorus, with calls bookending the film, foreshadowing the events at the start and adding further insight at the end, as well as showing how Izzy has changed over the course of the film.
7 dead vapes out of 10.
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Castration Movie Chapter iii. Junior Ghosts—Premorphic Drift; a fragmentary passage screened as part of the 2026 Brunswick Underground Film Festival. For more info, click here.