So Unreal

“We are the gods of technology. In the beginning, we built its shape, but over time it has come to shape us.” The unmistakable and evocative voice of rock icon Debbie Harry echoes through the void, acting as a narrative guide through this timely, sensorial documentary about the interwoven relationships between cinema, humanity and technology.

Technology’s evolution has long been a thematic core in cinema, exploring the near endless possibilities of digital advance and the existential numbness of our potential loss of control, with ongoing zeal and dread. In this framework, So Unreal draws on scenes from both canonical and lesser-known cinema, zeroing in on films made between 1981–2001, with clips from TRON (dir. Steven Lisberger, 1982), Brainstorm (dir. Douglas Trumbull, 1983), eXistenZ (dir. David Cronenberg, 1999) and more, and transitioning through this breadth with fluorescent visuals. Masterfully edited, impressively researched and replete with nostalgic neon graphics, this long-form video essay is a psychedelic trip through cinematic space, time and memory.  

So Unreal is a continued testament to Amanda Kramer’s brilliant technicolour vision. A filmmaker in Focus at IFFR 2022, Kramer’s work reliably probes the complexities of human emotion with a distinct visual style that pushes cinema to its limits. 

– Sophie Tupholme

Did you know that Amanda Kramer and Debbie Harry will be joining us for a Talk this year? Find out more here.