SIFFRAFF Selects: Dolls on Film

Shelby Smout | Social Media Manager | Thursday, July 6, 2023

July 2023 may be a Barbie World—okay, okay, more like a Barbenheimer World—but SIFFRAFF decided to stop the pink parade for a moment to remember the other dolls in movies that have made an impact. Because when you really think about it, there's a drove of significant dolls across cinema: there's nice dolls, there's mean dolls, there's inanimate dolls, and there's dolls the size of you and me.

Whichever Dolls on Film you prefer, Greta Gerwig's Barbie is for everyone! Even the Kens. Join us when it opens at the Egyptian on July 20 by prancing over to our Barbie page.

View the whole selection on our Letterboxd.

Barbie 2023

Barbie (2023)

Opens at SIFF Cinema Egyptian on Thursday, July 20.

Barbie as The Princess & the Pauper 2004

Barbie as The Princess & the Pauper (2004)

"Barbie will be amazing, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t have Preminger so it still can’t beat The Princess and the Pauper"—Picked by Reese Iliakis, Graphic Design Manager

Bubble 2005

Bubble (2005)

"The good old days of the early 2000s, when doll factories still had employee smoking rooms."—Picked by Patrick Graham, Associate Director of Audience Development & Sales Strategy

Bunny Lake Is Missing 1965

Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965)

Dr. Finlay Currie, doll hospital proprietor: This doll had almost been loved to death. You know, love inflicts the most terrible injuries on my small patients.

"When I think of dolls in movies, this scene of Carol Lynley wandering the dark rooms of a doll hospital in Bunny Lake Is Missing comes to mind, and it terrifies me. She's searching for her missing daughter Bunny's doll as proof of Bunny's existence, and right as she finds it, her psycho brother shows up and lights the doll on fire. Horrible situation all around!"—Picked by Clare Canzoneri Garvin, Associate Director of Digital Marketing

Child’s Play 1988

Child’s Play (1988)

"To quote Logan Roy from 'Succession,' Chucky is 'my number one boy.'"—Picked by Shelby Smout, Social Media Manager

The Dark Crystal 1982

The Dark Crystal (1982)

"This is a film made with practical effects! The main cast is made of puppets or dolls on strings. Their details and adventures are incredibly life-like. (Long film great for fantasy lovers)."—Picked by Hedge Metreyeon, Cinema Assistant Manager

Dolls 1987

Dolls (1987)

"Clearly this film needs to be on the list—not a favorite, but that’s because I find it creepy, unsettling, and nightmarish in a way that makes rewatching it a little too skin-crawling for me. If you ever step into a house with a thousand dolls looking at you with those eerie inanimate eyes, you should probably not stay overnight."—Picked by Dan Doody, Festival Programmer

The Indian in the Cupboard 1995

The Indian in the Cupboard (1995)

—Picked by Carley Callahan, Associate Director of Festivals and Events

—Picked by Andrew Montana, Accounting Manager

Lars and the Real Girl 2007

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

"Man, Ryan Gosling sure does have a thing for being the boyfriend to a doll. Another good double feature with Barbie."—Picked by Reese Iliakis, Graphic Design Manager

—Picked by Carley Callahan, Associate Director of Festivals and Events

—Picked by Megan Garbayo-López, Education Manager

Life-Size 2000

Life-Size (2000)

"So much of my early film loves were made for television, and this is a titan among them."—Picked by Carley Callahan, Associate Director of Festivals and Events

"This is the ORIGINAL Barbie movie. Life-Size & Barbie would make a great double feature. I don't know if Margot Robbie can ever live up to Tyra Banks but I guess we will find out!"—Picked by Reese Iliakis, Graphic Design Manager

—Picked by Carson Rennekamp, Development and Membership Manager

—Picked by Julia Reck, Graphic Design Associate

M3GAN 2022

M3GAN (2022)

—Picked by Megan Garbayo-López, Education Manager

—Picked by Julia Reck, Graphic Design Associate

Date: July 6, 2023
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Tags: Cinema SIFF Suggests