Maria Schrader is following up her Emmy-winning portrait of a Hasidic Jewish woman who flees her ultra-orthodox community with a sci-fi rom-com. A trailer has arrived for the “Unorthodox” helmer’s latest project, “I’m Your Man.” Set to make its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) next month, the film tells the story of a scientist who is pressured to take extreme measures to fund her research. Alma (Maren Eggert, “Tatort”) is persuaded to participate in a three-week study that will see her living with Tom (Dan Stevens, “Legion”), a humanoid robot tailor-made to be the perfect life partner for her.
“Listen, Tom. I’m not looking for a partner. I’m just testing you and writing an evaluation,” Alma emphasizes. “There’s a divide between us.” Tom was built specifically for her, but Alma remains skeptical that he’s the man — or robot — of her dreams.
Described as a “playful romance about relationships, love, and what it means to be human in the modern age,” “I’m Your Man” made its world premiere at the Berlinale in March to strong reviews. The film debuts at TIFF September 13 and hits select theaters September 24. Schrader, who took home the 2020 Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special for “Unorthodox,” co-wrote its script with Jan Schomburg.
