Hirsute

Kyle, a young scientist, is struggling to build a time machine when he is confronted by an arrogant future version of himself. Shocked to discover that his future holds a preoccupation with body-hair removal and boiled eggs, Kyle vows to change the course of his life.

Creative team

Writer/director/producer: A.J. Bond
Producer: Amy Belling

Director’s statement

A.J. Bond says:

“I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of time travel and have been toying with different variations on this theme for years.

Since I was a kid I started creating my own unique logic about how time travel might work. I was particularly interested in the idea that one could meet oneself at different ages and see how they had changed (or not). More directly, when I realized as an adult that I was gay, I couldn’t help but wonder what my younger, more clueless past self would make of this revelation. The idea for the film developed from there.”

About A.J. Bond

A.J. Bond began his film career as an actor appearing in several Canadian films including Gary Burns’ Kitchen Party and Anne Wheeler’s Better Than Chocolate.

In 2003, A.J. graduated from the UBC film programme where he produced and edited the award-winning short, Why the Anderson Children Didn’t Come to Dinner (TIFF 2003).

A.J. began working as a producer on several successful short films including The Saddest Boy in the World (TIFF 2006) and The Patterns Trilogy (TIFF 2006) both with director Jamie Travis.

A.J. formed the production company The Siblings in 2006 with Amy Belling to produce his debut as a writer and director, the award-winning short film Hirsute. The short premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007 and went on to play at over 50 film festivals around the world. Hirsute was nominated for seven Leo Awards and won nine film festival prizes.

A.J. has been invited to attend both the Berlinale Talent Campus and TIFF Talent Lab as an emerging writer/director. His most recent short film, the mystery/fantasy Madame Perrault’s Bluebeard, was selected to screen Coup de Coeur at the 2011 Cannes Short Film Corner.

A.J. is currently finishing his first feature film, Stress Position, as well as developing the psychological thriller Wisteria.