Real Humans (Lundström, SW 2012-) & Black Mirror (Brooker, UK 2011-)

LOTS of incredible films have been made revolving around the intimate – or, intimidating – relationship between Man & Machine., for example: Forbidden Planet (1956); Blade Runner (1982), 2001: Space Odyssee (1968), Moon (2009), Ghost in the Shell (1995), The Terminator (1984); and Demon Seed (1977).

This week, however, we will not screen a film, but two episodes of two different television series that investigate exactly this complex relationship.

The introduction will be in English, the discussions after the screening will be in Dutch and/or English, depending on the audience.

Schedule:
– Pizza meet-up: 18.00h*

Not joining for pizza?
– Introduction: 19:00
– Start film: 19:30

*If you want to join us for pizza, please send us an email (deadline: October 14th, 16:00!) and don’t forget to bring cash.

About Real Humans:
In a parallel present the artificial human has come into its own. Robots no longer have anything robot-like about them. New technology and advancements in the field of science have made it possible to manufacture a product – a kind of mechanized servant – that is so similar to a real human that it can often be considered a perfectly good substitute. The Human Robot (HUBOT) have also given rise to new problems and dilemmas. Thorny legal questions have increasingly started to occupy people’s minds and are still waiting to be answered: Who is responsible for the actions of a hubot? Do hubots have some form of “hubot rights”? Should they be paid for their work? As an ever growing number of people form relationships with hubots, the boundaries between human and machine become blurred. When humans make copies of themselves, which are so close to the real thing they form emotional bonds, the questions arises – What does it really mean to be ‘human’?
www.imdb.com/title/tt2180271/?ref_=ttpl_pl_tt

About Black Mirror:
A television anthology series that shows the dark side of life and technology.
In the episode we’re showing (Be Right Back, s02e01) Martha is devastated when her partner Ash is killed in a road accident on the day they move to a country cottage. At his funeral Martha’s friend Sarah tells her of a new service that allows people to communicate with their deceased loved ones by using all their online communications and contributions. Martha is appalled but decides to stay in the cottage despite her sister’s view that she is isolating herself. One day Martha gets a message from Ash and she realizes that Sarah has signed her up for the service. She is displeased but,on finding she is pregnant,relents …
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2085059/?ref_=nv_sr_1