Patron’s Pick: Strawberry Mansion (2021)

Megan recommended this one to us, calling it a “cool little low-budget art house sci-fi,” and she wasn’t wrong. We couldn’t resist diving in to see what all the dreamlike fuss was about.

This week we explore Strawberry Mansion (2021), directed by Kentucker Audley and Albert Birney. Set in a surreal near future where even dreams are taxed, the story follows a government auditor who stumbles into a rebellion of imagination, romance and memory inside a vast archive of recorded dreams.

The film is a strange and beautiful blend of handmade visuals, analog textures and big sci-fi ideas wrapped in a warm, nostalgic glow. Beneath its quirky humour lies a sharp commentary on consumerism and control, where even the subconscious has become a marketplace.

We discuss how its lo-fi aesthetic recalls the golden age of indie sci-fi, from Brazil to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and how its heartfelt storytelling makes it far more than just a stylistic experiment.

Join us on Patreon as we unpack its whimsical world, talk about the directors’ creative process and dig into what makes Strawberry Mansion such an enchanting entry in the world of independent science fiction cinema.

👉 Listen now on Patreon and join the discussion.