Recommendation | Egghead Republic – Coming of Age and Centaurs

What would you do if you got the opportunity of a lifetime? How far would you go to make it a reality? In the film, Egghead Republic, Sonja Schmidt, a young aspiring Swedish illustrator, works at a trendy hipster investigative magazine in a very toxic work environment. This sci-fi film, based on co-director Pella Kågerman’s experience at Vice magazine, takes place in a world where the cold war never ended, and Kazakhstan was hit with an atomic bomb. The editorial board sends a team to that dangerous and mysterious radioactive site to uncover what’s really in it and what kind of strange animals live there. Rumors mention the existence of mutants in the isolated area and perhaps even centaurs – half-human, half-horse.

The team goes on a journey full of dangers and hurdles. Led by Dino, the magazine’s charismatic and manipulative owner, the team breaks some Kazakhstani laws and veers off track – all with the goal of getting the coveted scoop. The work atmosphere is clearly pre-MeToo era: Dino throws around copious sexual jokes and crosses boundaries regarding workplace romantic relationships. But he also embodies everything Sonja wants to achieve – talent, power, influence. These pressures make it hard for Sonja to set a boundary. She’s young, in an inferior position, and eager to prove she is capable and fits in.

In addition to the team-members making it hard and pushing Sonja to the limit, there’s also the shadow of her dead uncle looming over. He’s a revered figure in the region the team arrives at – videos of him speaking and spreading his gospel are shown everywhere. Sonja must deal with the weighty legacy of her uncle – from who she seems so far, possibly opposite, and it’s not even clear how they are related. Could she fill his shoes?

More than it is a sci-fi or fantasy film, or even a road movie, Egghead Republic is a coming-of-age film that uses fantastical elements to tell the story of Sonja’s transition into adulthood. The mysterious centaurs, the post-apocalyptic landscape – they all act as a backdrop for her inner journey. Sonja is a talented, good-looking young woman who wants so much to be liked, and tried to find her place in a world of older men who have already done a thing or two in their life. Those same men, who are in charge of “activist” and “subversive” journalism, turn out to be subversive only when it serves their interests.

Things must become truly dangerous for Sonja to allow herself to refuse and set boundaries. Throughout this journey, she goes through mind-altering and life-altering experiences. In a particularly unusual scene, Sonja discovers her sexuality. That moment symbolizes her liberation from external expectations, and her entry into an unknown territory she explores. Encountering the nonhuman, the strange and mutate, enables her to reconnect with the strange and abnormal within her.

The film doesn’t judge Sonja for her difficulty to set boundaries, and doesn’t present her as laughable or foolish. It’s easy to understand her and root for her. In the end, her boldness and strong desire to prove herself – even if they do lead her into problematic situations – still allow her to experience fantastical adventures and become someone else entirely.