Program Note
In the year 2147, humanity is on the brink of extinction on the surface due to an unprecedented virus. Tania, a biologist, stays in an underground facility designed for human survival and prepares for artificial insemination experiments with the help of the AI system, VIDA. During this time, a man named Azarías, an outsider, appears before her. When a problem arises with the facility's management system, Tania enlists his help, as he is able to go outside, to resolve the situation and advance her plans.
This independent sci-fi film from the Dominican Republic showcases a refined level of expression and a mature understanding of the genre that is hard to believe given its low budget. Cinephiles will find pleasure in discovering influences from films such as Solaris (1972) and Children of Men (2006). Through the relationship between the isolated man and woman, and the AI, the film metaphorically addresses the conditions of the COVID-19 era, questioning the future of cinematic art while exploring human existential conditions like loneliness, anxiety, and trust. Winner of the Fantastic Pavilion Award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. (CHO Jaewhee)