Chase Infiniti Anchors TIFF Breakout 'The Julia Set' — SkimNews
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- The Julia Set, written and directed by Niki Byrne in her feature debut, has emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival and is currently shopping for distribution after its premiere.
- Chase Infiniti stars as Julia, a math prodigy recruited for a Putnam Test study group whose talent is exploited by both an abusive boyfriend (Christopher Briney's Pascal) and an indifferent academic system.
- Variety's Owen Gleiberman praised Infiniti in his TIFF review, writing that Julia's "off-the-charts intelligence" raises the film's stakes, with viewers "rooting for her emotional salvation" and for her "to dazzle the universe with her talent."
- Byrne, a former aerial photographer and licensed race car driver, credits Martin Scorsese's master class — and his advice that aspiring directors take acting classes — with setting her on the path to filmmaking.
- Infiniti was cast for "The Julia Set" three years ago while a month into shooting "Presumed Innocent," then went on to make "One Battle After Another" before reuniting with Byrne for the TIFF premiere.
- The film features what the interview calls one of the clearest screen depictions of love bombing, including a scene where Julia surprises Pascal with dinner using a key he gave her; Byrne said crew members "were gently sobbing" during takes.
- Infiniti also recently appeared in the Ateez music video for "Bad" and told Variety she "would love to sing and dance in a musical" — a comment likely to fuel casting speculation.
Why it matters: For Byrne, a first-time feature director with no traditional film school pedigree, the festival's embrace of "The Julia Set" gives a self-financed indie a realistic shot at distribution. For Infiniti, already on a breakout arc from "One Battle After Another," the role signals she can carry an intimate character study beyond prestige drama.
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