A scene from 'Babystar'

Babystar review: TIFF 2025

‘Babystar’ goes behind the scenes of an influencer family to expose the harsh realities of always having to be camera ready.

Sixteen-year-old Luca’s (Maja Bons) parents (Bea Brocks and Liliom Lewald) are social media influencers. She grows up in front of a camera with virtually no privacy as her parents realize children’s milestones are good for viewership. She’s the envy of all online teens with millions of followers she counts as friends – because she doesn’t have any real ones. To capitalize on this universal loneliness, they’re launching an A.I. friend app modelled after Luca. Now, she can be her own best friend.

Family influencers are one of the most popular online categories. The posts are so intimate and frequent, avid followers often feel like they know the screen families. YouTube is like an archive of Luca’s family’s home movies, viewed by thousands of strangers. Early on in the film, going back to old videos is a way to revisit happy memories. But as the narrative progresses, it becomes evidence of the exploitation Luca is subject to.

Read the full review of Babystar at thatshelf.com

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