Humane, the debut feature film from director and acclaimed photographer Caitlin Cronenberg, is a chilling look at an alternate present where a global ecological collapse has forced world leaders to take extreme measures to reduce Earth’s population. Part horror, part satire, and all family drama, the film examines themes of wealth, addiction, and social class in an all-too-real way that leaves the viewer believing this is something that could actually happen if we’re not careful with our fragile planet. However, one has to wonder… is it already too late?

Joining Cronenberg on her first voyage into feature films are stars Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek) and Jay Baruchel (BlackBerry), two fellow Canadians who play siblings Jared and Rachel York in Humane, and could be brother and sister in real life despite there being no blood relation between them. MovieWeb caught up with the trio ahead of the film’s release on April 26 to discuss a number of topics, including what drew Cronenberg to Humane in the first place, why Baruchel said yes to the part, and if Hampshire was nervous about working with a first-time director.

Humane Release Date April 26, 2024 Director Caitlin Cronenberg Runtime 93 Minutes Writers Michael Sparaga Studio(s) Victory Man Productions , Téléfilm Canada , Ontario Creates Distributor(s) IFC Films

Caitlin Cronenberg Calls Humane a ‘Unique Idea’

No stranger to visual mediums, Caitlin Cronenberg is an accomplished photographer whose work has appeared in Vogue, Variety, and W. As the daughter of the legendary director, David Cronenberg (Scanners, The Fly) and sister to burgeoning horror maestro Brandon Cronenberg (Possessor, Infinity Pool), it seemed inevitable that she would eventually direct her own feature film. As to why she chose Humane as her first project, she cites a number of factors, including the film’s script, which was written by her longtime friend and colleague, Michael Sparaga.

“I think it was essentially the theme,
and just generally what this very original unique idea was
, I love this sort of alternate present where you could really imagine that this is going on in the world. And I never read anything like it, and it really appealed to me that within this chaotic world, there is this tight family dynamic, which is something that I really liked to watch.”

The setting for the York family home seen in Humane is actually Ravenscliffe Castle, located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Building a set was out of the question given the film’s budget and time constraints, so it was important to find a location that could be used for 17 days out of the 20-day production. Cronenberg says it was “the first character cast in the film.”

“Michael originally wrote the script for a Georgian colonial layout, which would have been a central hall home, and then you go in both directions. And we couldn’t find something like that that was suitable. And then, when we found Ravenscliffe, it was just a no-brainer. We drove up, and the first thing Michael said was, ‘you just know the bad things happened here.’ It’s definitely haunted it, it’s just that kind of vibe…
But it was the first character cast in the film
.”

Jay Baruchel Says Humane Has ‘Worthwhile Things to Say’

Born in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, and growing up in Montreal, Quebec, Jay Baruchel has had a career spanning nearly 30 years. As one of the great character actors of this generation, he’s appeared in such films as Million Dollar Baby, Knocked Up, Tropic Thunder, BlackBerry, and serves as the voice of Hiccup in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise. For Humane, he wasn’t sure if it was the character of Jared York or the overall story that first piqued his interest in the film, but does believe that Sparaga’s script is worthy of praise.

“I don’t rightly know to be honest, because when you enjoy reading a script it’s all part of the ride. And so I don’t know if I loved it when it was done. Did I love the story or did I love the guy that I would get to play, or was it some version of all of it? But I dug the world.
Michael wrote a lovely script that had some worthwhile things to say
.”

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Of course, getting the chance to work with your friends is something that appeals to any actor, and Baruchel is no exception. He continues, “I’ve gotten along with Caitlin like a house on fire forever, and to get to be part of her first feature was exciting, and any chance to work with Emily, who is one of my dear friends, and one of my favorite kind of collaborators… all of these things seemed like it just a pretty quick yes for me.”

Emily Hampshire on Debut Director Caitlin Cronenberg

With a career spanning just as long as Baruchel’s, this isn’t the first time Emily Hampshire has been directed by a member of the Cronenberg family. In 2012, she appeared in David Cronenberg’s film, Cosmopolis (which also featured Baruchel), and she has gone on to be known for her role as Stevie Budd in the cult-favorite TV series, Schitt’s Creek. She remembers the day vividly when she knew she was in good hands with a first-time director in Caitlin Cronenberg.

“I just remember very clearly…it was the end of the first day, and we were in the van going back,
and we were like ‘thank god she’s good’
because Caitlin killed it on our first day, and there was a little fear of your friend being not a great director, like what would happen? So thank God. She was amazing. And there wasn’t doubt until there was a little ‘what if?’ and yeah, so that was great.”

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Now that Cronenberg has her first feature wrapped, and Baruchel himself has sat in the director’s chair for a couple of feature films (Goon: Last of the Enforcers, Random Acts of Violence), the conversation closed with Hampshire mulling over the chances of her directing in the future. She said that she “can see the possibility in it.”

“I didn’t have any aspirations to direct,” she explains “I always feel like I know so many great directors and friends of mine who are amazing, and I would feel like a dilettante doing that. And then this weird thing happened recently where I’ve worked back-to-back with female directors and I have to say, there is something about seeing it being done… and it does make you think you can do it too. So I’m not sure yet, but I can see the possibility in it where I didn’t before because I thought no one would take me seriously because I’m a girl.”

That response got a burst of encouragement from her peers, and you can see just how well Caitlin Cronenberg did with her first feature film when Humane hits theaters on April 26, 2024, from Elevation Pictures. Check out the trailer below.