We’re All Going to the World’s Fair: A Personal Journey into Horror and Adolescence

Jane Schoenbrun’s latest film, *Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma*, is currently making waves in theaters, making it the perfect moment to revisit their debut, *We’re All Going to the World’s Fair*. I was captivated by this film when I first experienced it at Sundance in 2021.

The story kicks off with our main character, Casey, who dives into the World’s Fair Challenge, a blend of ARG creepypasta and the ice bucket challenge. It features a chilling mantra, some bloodletting, and a mysterious video—essentially a rapid-fire collection of horror movie clichés. However, the unsettling aspect comes from watching this young girl alone in her room, staring directly into her webcam. I found myself physically recoiling when she repeatedly pricked her skin with a pin to draw blood.

The premise suggests that participants perform the ritual and undergo some vague transformation. It’s framed as a “game” where players report their symptoms as they feel themselves morphing into plastic or their insides rearranging like Tetris pieces.

At its core, *World’s Fair* is a coming-of-age tale about a lonely girl. Casey is never shown interacting with peers her age, and her father is only heard yelling off-screen. She desperately seeks connection by uploading videos that document the changes she experiences after completing the challenge.

Crucially, unlike many coming-of-age films, *World’s Fair* doesn’t focus on Casey’s sexual awakening and avoids sexualizing her altogether. Instead, it centers on her quest for belonging in a hyper-connected world.

The only other character who gets significant screen time is JLB, a lonely middle-aged man who insists that Casey is in danger. The dynamic between JLB and Casey adds another layer of discomfort to a film that already intertwines horror elements with unsettling glimpses into a young girl’s life. There’s a voyeuristic quality to it; while it’s never explicitly stated, it certainly feels like JLB is trying to groom the vulnerable Casey.

The film thrives in its uncomfortable ambiguity, which is part of its brilliance. While it may not reach the surreal or campy heights of *I Saw the TV Glow* or *Camp Miasma*, it stands out as a unique indie film that creatively employs body horror tropes in fresh and intriguing ways.

*We’re All Going to the World’s Fair* is available for streaming on Criterion Channel, Kanopy, and Hoopla.