'Masc' Premieres at TIFF With Queer, Biracial, Autistic Lead — SkimNews
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- Bertil Nilsson made his feature directorial debut with 'Masc,' which world premiered in TIFF's Next Wave Selects section.
- Joshua Griffin co-wrote the film and stars as Robin, a queer, biracial man on the autism spectrum who spends a year learning to exist as himself.
- Nilsson said most autistic characters are portrayed as stereotypes rather than real people, emphasizing that 'every autistic person is different' and Robin is not intended as a blanket representation of autism.
- Nilsson drew a parallel between autistic and queer representation, noting that queer film characters have grown richer over time and expressing hope that 'Masc' contributes similarly while adding an autistic perspective.
- Reece King plays Sky, a concerned friend who, in a Deadline exclusive clip, steers Robin away from crack cocaine toward something more his speed.
Why it matters: The premiere gives a TIFF platform to a film explicitly built around layered identity — queer, biracial, autistic — at a festival whose marquee coverage tends to spotlight A-list glamour rather than intersectional indie debuts. By framing Robin as an individual rather than a stand-in for autism, Nilsson stakes a deliberate position in an industry conversation about how neurodivergent characters are written.
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