TIFF 2020: Rules For Werewolves
tiff 2020
Premiering at the recently concluded 45th Toronto International Film Festival as a part of the third Short Cuts Programme, Rules For Werewolves signals Jeremy Shaulin-Rioux’s directorial debut, and features Stranger Things and It star Finn Wolfhard in the films’ central role. Adapted from the titular novel by Kirk Lynn, the short tells the story of a group of ragtag teenage boys who break into a mansion as chaos ensues.
Coming off of his own directorial debut in the Fantasia award-winning short Night Shifts, Finn Wolfhard once again returns to his role in front of the camera that built up his career to what it is today. With a role as the semi-unreliable narrator and the leader of the group, he delivers a fierce performance that reminds one why he has the makings of a star even at such a young age.
However, it is newcomer Jeremy Shaulin-Rioux who truly shines here. Despite the fact that many first-time directors would buckle under the weight of an ambitious set piece like the one that serves as the centre of the story here, Shaulin-Rioux shows he has the chops to make it far in his filmmaking career. Implementing a breath taking and impactful long take as he shows the invasion of the home, Shaulin-Rioux is able to capture the pure chaos in a restrained but captivating way that will be sure to keep your eyes glued to the screen, although the brevity of the shot begs for a feature adaption that Shaulin-Rioux would be able to command confidently on his own.
Overall, Rules For Werewolves is a captivating short that features a talented central performance from Finn Wolfhard. While many may note that it’s too brief for its own good, it has all the right pieces to be made into a feature once the COVID crisis diminishes and serves as a promising calling card for all involved.