‘That Times is Now’, written and directed by Henry Chebaane, is a striking slice of speculative cinema that balances sci-fi ambition with emotional weight. Created for a 48-hour film challenge, Chebaane sets his story in a future on the brink, where Earth is collapsing under the weight of its own mistakes, and a lone scientist makes one last attempt to reverse the damage.
Dr Wokozi (Marion Githegi) is a brilliant mind in 2060, responsible for developing an AI tool built to save the planet but now burdened with unintended consequences. She has travelled through time seven times before, each visit an effort to convince Professor Seva (Bhasker Patel) to return with her to the future. This eighth jump is her final chance. Seva, found living alone in a deserted London, wants no part of the world she represents. He tends to his plants and reflects on a past filled with broken promises and wasted chances.
Their rooftop meeting unfolds with grace and quiet tension. Seva speaks with patience, drawing from Hindu philosophy and lived wisdom. He challenges a generation that mistook progress for purpose. Wokozi, worn down but still holding on, pleads for his help. The dynamic between them is powerful and moving. It is not a confrontation, but a reckoning. Two minds, shaped by different eras, trying to make sense of a collapsing world.
The film looks beautiful. Leon Silavant’s cinematography brings an elegance to this abandoned future. The empty streets of London, the rooftop garden, the muted palette – it all builds a world that feels emptied out and waiting. There is a stillness to the visuals that echoes the emotional restraint of the story. The design, lighting and atmosphere work in harmony, never drawing attention to themselves, only deepening the mood.
‘That Times is Now’ is a soft film in the best sense. Its pace is measured, its writing reflective, and its tone leans philosophical over plot driven. It asks questions about responsibility, technology and the cost of good intentions. The performances are well matched to the material. Bhasker Patel brings depth and control to every word, while Marion Githegi channels urgency with heart. As a proof of concept for a larger feature, it holds real promise. This world deserves more time. Thoughtful, soulful and stirring.
