Total Trust
2023, China, 97:00 minutes
Total Trust is an eye-opening and deeply disturbing story of surveillance technology, abuse of power and (self -)censorship. What can happen when our privacy is ignored? Through the haunting stories of people in China who have been monitored, intimidated and even tortured, Total Trust tells of the dangers of technology like Big Data and AI in the hands of unbridled power. Taking China as a mirror, the film sounds an alarm about the increasing use of surveillance tools around the world – even in democratically run countries. China is currently the most heavily monitored country in the world. Half of all the world’s surveillance cameras are installed there, penetrating or manipulating the daily lives of citizens.
At the same time, systems such as “social credit scoring” are being tested and deployed. The film tells the stories of three remarkable women who passionately fight for justice – whether for themselves or their loved ones. It accompanies these initially inconspicuous women on their way to becoming unconditional defenders of individual freedoms and, in the process, reveals the dangerous consequences of widespread state surveillance. With its compelling cinematic language and emotional storytelling, Total Trust sparks a global debate about the existential dangers that Big Data and AI-based surveillance tools pose to both democracy and justice. If this is the present, what does our future look like?
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