PARTS PER BILLION

You might not think it, but many films at the Bifff lend themselves perfectly to philosophical discussions about the meaning of life. Take the tagline from Parts per Billion: “If the world ends, will love survive?” It starts with a disaster. An unstoppable virus is decimating the planet’s population. The six protagonists of the film, three couples whose intertwined stories are related to the big question posed by the film, make up the balance of their lives and relationships while the End of Everything approaches. But are they just innocent victims of the impending catastrophe, or is there something else going on?

Do not expect a Roland Emmerich-like apocalyptic spectacle. Parts Per Billion is much more related to the thoughtful movies of Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu and Paul Haggis. People are forced to look back on their lives and face the consequences of their choices. Sundance favorite Brian Horiuchi, the scriptwriter of America So Beautiful and Circle of Eight, has crafted a gripping humanistic drama with some big names in the leads, among whom Gena Rowlands, Josh Hartnett, Rosario Dawson and Frank Langella!