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Stephen Tustin

@stustin.bsky.social
979 followers 702 following 1.6K posts

Former Senior Editor, Toronto Star/Globe & Mail/Former Sports Editor, Toronto Star/Housing & Immigration Writer/Curator/Social Media. “If you feed at the algorithm trough, you’ll fail at the algorithm trough”

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Reposted by Stephen Tustin
Gil Durán @gilduran.com · 05/10/2026
The NYT is ok with extremist ideology as an anecdote in a profile—but highly allergic to any deeper examination of the ideology itself. No one gets to write an op-ed explaining any of this. That’s not allowed. But a billionaire can drop it in a quote as a passing comment.
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Reposted by Stephen Tustin
Gil Durán @gilduran.com · 05/10/2026
It’s not just one billionaire. It’s a full-blown cult of billionaires who believe dictatorship should replace democracy—and that technology (crypto and AI) will make this inevitable. They say it loud. Some guy just wrote a book about it (That guy is me!) www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ne...
simonandschuster.com
The Nerd Reich
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “This transfixing debut from journalist Durán investigates the antidemocratic ideologies espoused by tech billionaires ...
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Reposted by Stephen Tustin
Gil Durán @gilduran.com · 05/10/2026
“Democracy has been hailed as, like, the holy grail for the last couple hundred years, but democracies are inefficient,” said the crypto billionaire. “If you get a benevolent dictator, it’s actually extremely efficient." Hmm, where have I heard this before? www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/b...
nytimes.com
Inside a Billionaire’s Paradise With Crypto’s Most Powerful Ex-Convict (Gift Article)
Changpeng Zhao, jailed in the United States for a financial crime and pardoned by President Trump, is now living a gilded life in the United Arab Emirates.
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Convenience, efficiency, profitability, and easiness have long been the four horsemen of the tech apocalypse.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Please share this gift article about treason in Alberta widely, and frequently. Thanks, Globe and Mail. #Canada #journalism www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/1f59e58...
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Reposted by Stephen Tustin
Cayce C. Will @caycecwill.substack.com · 30/09/2026
Democracy is not a static inheritance; it is an architecture we must actively maintain. By reforming our tax code, fixing our elections, and balancing our courts, we can fulfill our foundational promise: E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one. caycecwill.substack.com/p/get-out-an...
caycecwill.substack.com
Get Out and Vote
A TREATISE ON STRUCTURAL REFORMS TO UNLOCK AMERICAN VOTER TURNOUT
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
"Every scam to make you pay more has a mirror-image scam that ensures you are paid less" - @doctorow.pluralistic.net pluralistic.net/2026/09/29/a...
pluralistic.net
Pluralistic: Lindsay Owens’s “Gouged” (29 Sep 2026) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Polls don’t vote 😉
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Bruce Arthur @brucearthur.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
On Tuesday the BC Supreme Court vacated the convictions of the co-founders of DULF, which bought and sold clean illegal drugs on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, and struck down a part of Canada's drug laws. None of it was ideal, but in this crisis, it was to the good. www.thestar.com/opinion/star...
thestar.com
Bruce Arthur: B.C. court right to absolve founders of Drug User Liberation Front
The B.C. Supreme Court concluded that DULF kept people alive and did no public harm, Bruce Arthur writes.
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Reposted by Stephen Tustin
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"For decades, we've provided election coverage that's based on in-depth political reporting by an experienced team of journalists backed by commentary from political leaders. But now we're throwing that aside so we can tell you what some of the most irredeemable uninformed gamblers are guessing."
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Reposted by Stephen Tustin
Katie Phang @katiephang.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
There are NEW updates in the case of the Cornell 7 as more details are revealed, including how the alleged victim stated “with 100% confidence [she] was raped”. So why did the local DA only present certain parts of her written statement? I've got the latest reporting: youtu.be/tcsZBeeJk9k?...
youtu.be
New DETAILS In Cornell ASSAULT CASE Revealed In BOMBSHELL Transcript!!
YouTube video by Katie Phang
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"Digital sovereignty is about owning or controlling layers of infrastructure, not just funding another vendor - Vass Bednar in @thestar.com #Musk #Starlink www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
thestar.com
If Canada wants to move away from Elon Musk, this is how it should do it
It's time for pension funds to step up, writes Vass Bednar.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Well said: "If A.I. promises to transform the entire society, then the entire society is entitled to have a say, even a decisive one, over the use, development and direction of the technology" - Jamelle Bouie #Canada #Carney #evansolomon #AI www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | The Railroads Were Once the Octopus That A.I. Is Now
New matrix, meet the old matrix.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"Virtually every vendor you engage with, from your landlord to your corner deli, wants you to install an app whose terms of service requires you to sign away all of your privacy rights, forever, in exchange for nothing." - @doctorow.pluralistic.net pluralistic.net/2026/09/28/c...
pluralistic.net
Pluralistic: Priceful (28 Sep 2026) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Justin Trudeau and immigration. An excerpt from a new book by David Olive of the Toronto Star #Canada www.thestar.com/news/insight...
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
"I’ve heard people dismiss Trump’s mendacity with a shrugging “they all lie,” but we are witnessing a rare, very possibly once-in-a-lifetime political liar" - Daniel Dale for CNN #Canada #trade #tariffs www.cnn.com/2026/09/27/p...
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
AI Minister @evansolomon.bsky.social and the Liberal party need to remember that Canadians didn't vote to be surveilled, deceived, fired, replaced or "harmed" by AI and Tech Bros billionaires. Canadians need to hold Solomon & Carney to account. #Canada #oversight www.thestar.com/politics/fed...
thestar.com
Canada’s AI minister takes aim at Big Tech’s plan to police itself
With artificial intelligence giants taking to the global stage this week urging for technology slowdowns, Evan Solomon says it’s not up to tech companies to dictate their own guardrails.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Why is Meta deleting the accounts of Toronto performers? Is it rampant homophobia? #instagram #facebook #burlesque #artists www.thestar.com/news/gta/met...
thestar.com
A livelihood at risk. A 'panic attack for breakfast.' Performer banned from Meta over bikini photo
Starlotte Satine is trying to promote an upcoming show at the El Mocambo but says her livelihood is at risk.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
"Experts say Ottawa’s Building Canada Strong Act hands the labour minister and government ‘unchecked’ authority to suspend strikes based on ‘national interest.’" - Josh Rubin in @thestar.com #Canada #Carney #workers www.thestar.com/business/why...
thestar.com
Why unions say Canada's new labour bill will make strikes 'all but impossible' in regulated sectors
Experts say Ottawa's Building Canada Strong Act hands the labour minister and government 'unchecked' authority to suspend strikes based on 'national interest.'
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
“What we should take away from this controversy is that the majority attaches great importance to authenticity. If you think you are adding value by having your works written by AI, go ahead! But at least, mention it, so as not to betray your readers" #Canada #AIbook www.thestar.com/news/world/w...
thestar.com
Why AI allegations risk turning a Canadian literary sensation into a French book scandal
On Monday, Thélyson Orélien’s book won the 2026 Prix du Roman Fnac, a major French book retailer.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
"The SEC, once a bastion of investor protection, is now going to great lengths to stifle shareholder dissent. It is a troubling change that will also affect Canadian holders of U.S. equities and Canadian companies listed on U.S. exchanges" - Rita Trichur www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com...
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: SEC wants to get rid of shareholder proposals, setting another dangerous precedent for Canada
U.S. regulator is censoring investors in order to shield companies from scrutiny
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
"Our democracy works best when we have an opposition that looks like a government in waiting. The Conservatives look like dummies, and they should smarten up, for the sake of the country and their own personal dignity" - @stephenmaher.bsky.social #Canada #Poilievre
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
"As support for both Trump and Poilievre has diminished - they both have approval ratings of 32 -I am starting to think that their remaining supporters are - how to put it? - not as intellectually inclined as other voters" - @stephenmaher.bsky.social #potash www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
thestar.com
Stephen Maher: Donald Trump is picking a fight on potash. Here’s how Canada should respond (spoiler: not like Andrew Scheer)
Conservatives are in a pickle, and Poilievre is straddling a barbed-wire fence
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
“I believe if you can do something for somebody else, then you should. I’m a giver and I’m a donator of whatever it is that I have to offer. I wish I had a few more kidneys to give away" - Living organ donor Christine Bruce #transplants #Canada www.thestar.com/news/gta/don...
thestar.com
She's one of Ontario's rare double donors. Why she did it — and what a new study says about safety
Living donors change the equation for people awaiting organs, and can lead to much faster transplants.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
"Teschner offered no clear rationale for burying Toronto’s acute crisis inside a massive sector-wide review. What data justified this sudden expansion? How does a broad provincial survey address the immediate breakdown of trust in Toronto or help the TPSB evaluate its chief?"
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
"To restore trust, Toronto police must step back entirely" from the latest TPS scandal investigation says ex-services board chair Alok Mukherjee #corruption #ProjectSouth www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
thestar.com
As a former chair of the police services board, I have misgivings about the inspection into corruption of Toronto’s force
Questions remain regarding the independence of the inspection.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
"(Carney) hasn’t adequately explained how his plan will improve on the current operation by local airport authorities. Nor has he outlined the necessary safeguards to protect passengers" - @thestar.com #canada www.thestar.com/opinion/edit...
thestar.com
Star Editorial Board: Mark Carney still has to convince Canadians that privatizing airports won’t hurt them
The prime minister hasn’t adequately explained how his plan will improve on the current operation by local airport authorities. Nor has he outlined the necessary safeguards to protect passengers.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
"(California AG Rob) Bonta just handed the American movie and TV sector to two of the most odious creeps to draw breath, surrendering without firing a shot" - @doctorow.pluralistic.net #movies #films #streaming #news #canada pluralistic.net/2026/09/22/h...
pluralistic.net
Pluralistic: Bonta sold us out to Trump’s oligarchs (22 Sep 2026) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
A good reminder that AI is the machine without a brain, and we are the brain, not the machine. #Canada #politicians #legislation #laws www.thestar.com/opinion/star...
thestar.com
Justin Ling: It’s the nuclear bomb of the 21st century. This is how we can control it
Reining in AI will take international co-operation.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"This entire (Ed Sheeran) debacle is a stark reminder that opting out of taking political stands is, in and of itself, a political stand: a politics of self-interest" - Roxane Gay in @nytimes.com #genocide #macklemore #music www.nytimes.com/2026/09/21/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Ed Sheeran, Macklemore and Why Politics Is So Hard for Celebrities
Celebrities use the facade of neutrality as shelter, as a place to take refuge.
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Reposted by Stephen Tustin
K a s s i e D e e @kassiedee.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
“A close read of Ed Sheeran's new statement, and why it's a flop.” Credit: @premthakker.bsky.social
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Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
My mom had polio when she was five. She was living on a US military base in Japan (1947). Four kids on the base died. She was the only survivor.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The "Untouchables" TV show should be rebooted, only this time the untouchables are the AI ATech Bros and the corrupt politicians (President Epstein) who protect them. I'd watch. www.thebignewsletter.com/p/ai-is-an-e...
thebignewsletter.com
AI Is an Elite Crime Spree
Documents show a Microsoft exec called AI the "largest theft of labor in human history.” New AI regulations are besides the point, the problem is we don’t apply existing laws to the powerful.
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Reposted by Stephen Tustin
Rebecca Blood 🇺🇦 @rebeccablood.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
@doctorow.pluralistic.net
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
There was another one-liner making the rounds about the Canadian reaction to Donald Trump’s imperial hostility. That one I knew to be true in my bone marrow: “Canadians have two modes – ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘You’re about to be sorry.’” - Shannon Proudfoot www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/opi...
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Canadian pride and rage in the face of tariff madness
In the trade war pressure cooker, Carney’s government was inching toward concessions. Then came the late-breaking story that changed it all
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
"Canada figures it can attract record amounts of global investment capital while becoming an indispensable partner to the EU, boost its trade with China, and fight for the most favourable trading conditions possible with the U.S." - David Olive #canada www.thestar.com/business/opi...
thestar.com
David Olive: Forget the 51st state. Canada wants to be Europe’s partner
As Trump retreats from global alliances, Canada and the EU are moving fast to fill the void.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Indeed, why should we (and I don't)? #AI #Canada #techbros #billionaires #Carney #evansolomon www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
thestar.com
John Lorinc: Even as they say ‘slow down,’ tech giants are arguing for self-regulation. Why should we trust them?
There must also be consequences for non-compliance, just as there are in many other regulatory regimes, from banking to food processing.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Are Canadians keeping up with Carney's pace? #trade #trump #EU #investement www.thestar.com/politics/mar...
thestar.com
Mark Carney’s relationship with Trump is changing in real time. Is anyone keeping up?
Beyond seeming more willing to take shots at Trump, the change in the prime minister’s outlook can be seen in his travels, speeches and policy gestures.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
"Almost 20 months into Mr. Trump’s second term, his long-running media clashes have grown into a sweeping campaign to control speech in America" #freespeech #journalism www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/u...
nytimes.com
How Trump Is Wielding Power to Stifle Speech
President Trump has harnessed agencies across the government to curtail press freedoms, a sweeping campaign that free speech advocates say will have lasting effects.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Trump and his under-qualified lackeys are out to quash freedom of speech and any criticism of their cruel and idiotic policies and actions. Don't let them. #freespeech #reporting #journalism #democracy www.cnn.com/2026/09/19/m...
cnn.com
CNN, MS NOW and Politico denied access to White House after Trump ‘ban’ | CNN Business
CNN reporter Betsy Klein was denied access at the White House on Saturday morning and her press pass was seized, one day after President Donald Trump announced that he was “banning” CNN, MS NOW and Po...
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
"When an industry (AI) that is eating itself alive through "hyperscaling" demands that the government bless a conspiracy to halt competition and ban open source alternatives, you should be suspicious" - @doctorow.pluralistic.net pluralistic.net/2026/09/16/b...
pluralistic.net
Pluralistic: How an AI moratorium can save AI bosses (16 Sep 2026) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Utilizing words from my rowdy youth, "Ed Sheeran is taking a shitkicking!" #macklemore #genocide #robertkraft variety.com/2026/music/n...
variety.com
Macklemore Donating $1 Million Salary from Ed Sheeran Tour to Support Palestine: ‘I Invite Robert Kraft to Match My Donation’
Macklemore announced plans to donate $1 million in net earnings from Ed Sheeran's tour to Palestinian support, and asked Robert Kraft to match.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Macklemore fries wimpster Ed Sheeran, and I'm here for it. #politics #Gaza #genocide #edsshittymusic www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...
rollingstone.com
Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour After Onstage 'Free Palestine' Statements
Macklemore is being dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour after several venues allegedly said they would not allow a concert with the rapper to take place.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
We need real, loud laughs more than ever, yeah? #comedy #television www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/o...
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
"While fascists protest in UK ports and purvey nonsense and poison online, ever fewer people have the perspective or analytical tools to challenge them" #reading #democracy www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
For the love of Jesus, the sight of President Tubby Rapist on Irish soil is almost more than I can bear. #Ireland #Canada #America #Gaza www.bbc.com/news/article...
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
The Globe's Rita Trichur explains how Trump's Trade War is pummelling Ohio. #tariffs #jobs #Canada #Mexico www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com...
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Ohio is a microcosm of growing American angst over Trump’s trade war with Canada
U.S. President’s global tariffs have cost the state billions since he returned to the Oval Office
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
"(Notley's) mission — her reason for joining up with Kenney — is to “get out the vote.” Her fellow federalists may not be as passionate about turning out on voting day as the diehard separatists who want to send a message" - @reggcohn.bsky.social #Alberta #Canada www.thestar.com/politics/pol...
thestar.com
Martin Regg Cohn: How Jason Kenney and Rachel Notley work their unlikely alliance against Alberta separatism
Former premiers, once political rivals, talk about working both sides of the aisle politically in the run-up to the Oct. 19 provincial referendum.
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I remember vividly when Neil Kennedy, a fellow boater, took off for New York City to help re the aftermath of 9/11. I saluted him then, and I salute him now. #Canada #rescuers #QueensQuay #firefighters www.thestar.com/news/gta/fou...
thestar.com
Four Brampton firefighters rushed to New York on 9/11. Would they do it again?
Without hesitation, they drove towards a disaster that was still unfolding. Despite the risks, would they do it again?
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Stephen Tustin @stustin.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
"Vega’s film is funny without straining for laughs, moving without wallowing in tragedy, and strange without allowing its extraterrestrial conceit to overshadow the recognizably and slightly sad human story at its center" #TIFF #Toronto #Sweden #comedy #SciFi nextbestpicture.com/arne-goes-to...
nextbestpicture.com
"ARNE GOES TO SPACE" - Review
THE STORY – An extraterrestrial visitor upends the lives of two elderly brothers in northern Sweden. THE CAST – Rolf Lassgård, Lennart Jähkel & Kiran Shah THE TEAM – Lars Vega (Director/Writer) & Theodor Österberg (Writer) THE RUNNING TIME – 101 Minutes Perhaps describing a film as a “Swedish sci-fi comedy from a first-time director” is […]
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