Coherence: James Ward Byrkit's Quantum Thriller Explores Parallel Universes

James Ward Byrkit's debut feature film 'Coherence' (2013) uses quantum decoherence theory to frame a psychological thriller. The plot follows eight friends at a dinner party on the night a comet passes close to Earth, triggering mysterious events that fracture their identities and relationships. Byrkit, previously a short film director and video game designer, shot the film with limited resources and a loose script. The narrative deliberately avoids rational explanation, creating a permanent sense of estrangement. The film premiered in 2013 and runs 89 minutes. It was reviewed in Artribune Magazine #30 by Giulia Pezzoli, who has worked at Fondazione Querini Stampalia, the 50th Venice Biennale, Centro d'Arte Contemporanea di Villa Manin, and MAMbo.