Harmony Korine’s Baby Invasion Draws Crowds to Knockdown Center for One-Night Film Event
Hundreds of attendees filled Knockdown Center last Friday night for the premiere of “Baby Invasion,” filmmaker Harmony Korine’s latest experimental work. The March 21st event transformed the former factory space into a multimedia screening venue where Korine deconstructed and mixed his feature film “like a DJ set.”
Three-Screen Triptych and Live Surveillance Create Immersive Experience
The Friday screening utilized a distinctive three-screen, triptych setup. The center screen played the main film while the right and left panels alternated between expanding the field of vision and applying psychedelic, mushroom-like warping effects to the imagery. Adding to the immersive experience, a masked camera operator roamed throughout the venue, capturing live footage of the audience that was seamlessly mixed into the presentation. These voyeuristic shots included people in various states of awareness—some covering their ears, others smiling directly at the camera—and extended beyond the main screening area to the bathroom line and smoking section.
The densely packed warehouse space glowed in red lighting as attendees stood shoulder to shoulder throughout the venue. Screens displayed vivid, surreal imagery including colorful, digital masks or avatars with skull-like features set against bright orange and red backgrounds, alongside content from what appeared to be a Japanese-style game interface.
Symbolism and Stylized Violence: Inside “Baby Invasion”
A recurring surreal visual throughout the film was a large rabbit, which appeared in contexts suggesting it represented victims. Rather than showing terrified homeowners fleeing attackers, the film presented a rabbit running in the backyard of a waterfront Miami property with the city skyline as backdrop. In another sequence, following an implied attack, the camera gazed into water where a large rabbit lay curled up, seemingly concealing a body and pool of blood.
Despite its violent premise, “Baby Invasion” contained minimal explicit brutality. The film documented 3-4 separate robberies, each revealing slightly more aggression than the last. Homeowners appeared frightened and restrained, and while aftermath scenes occasionally showed victims with slashed throats or gunshot wounds, the makeup and effects were deliberately theatrical and artificial. The most graphic sequence featured an attacker striking someone with a wrench and another scene showing a knife held near a yacht passenger’s bloodied face—though even this blood was stylized to appear fake. These violent tableaux were intercut with aestheticized scenes of the robbers having a nighttime pool party, reminiscent of curated social media content.
The event, co-produced with Knockdown Center and Murmrr, was billed as a “pulsating, hypnotic experience” and a “one time opportunity” to watch the film in this mixed format. According to the event description, “Baby Invasion” presents as “an ultra-realistic, multiplayer FPS game following a group of mercenaries using baby faces as avatars to conceal their identity.”
The venue’s industrial architecture created a fitting backdrop for the viewing experience, with exposed wooden beams and brick walls complementing the raw aesthetic of the film. Technical equipment including screens, projectors, and DJ booths were integrated throughout the space.
At the DJ booth, Harmony Korine operated equipment while a performer in a purple mask or face covering stood nearby. The predominantly red lighting created a moody atmosphere that complemented the apparent themes of the film.
The ticketing structure divided the evening into multiple segments: a first screening from 7:30 to 10:00 PM, a second screening with afterparty from 10:00 PM to close, and an afterparty-only option beginning at midnight.
Fashion and Scene: Attendees Mirror Korine’s Aesthetic
Throughout the venue, diverse groups of attendees gathered. Fashion choices tended toward black clothing, leather jackets, and occasional statement pieces. The crowd appeared to be primarily in their twenties and thirties, creating a scene that mirrored the aesthetic of Korine’s cinematic universe.
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