Fantastic Machine

Friday, October 13 - Thursday, October 19, 2023

Directors Axel Danielson & Maximilien Van Aertryck in person for Q&As after the Friday, October 13 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 14 7:30 p.m. screenings.

What happens when humanity’s infatuation with itself and an untethered free market meet 45 billion cameras…

Filmmakers Axel Danielson & Maximilien Van Aertryck (Ten Meter Tower, Jobs For All!) once again turn their cameras directly on society, this time to explore, explain and expose how our unchecked obsession with image has grown to change our human behavior. From Camera Obscura and the Lumiere Brothers all the way to YouTube and the world of social media, the film chronicles how we went from capturing the image of a backyard to a multi-billion-euro content industry in just 200 years.

With an exclusive use of archival and found footage, the film uses the very medium it examines, in a self-reflective yet hilarious montage.

Winner Sundance:World Cinema Documentary Special Award Creative Vision

Winner Berlinale: Cinema Vision 14plus Award, and the Youth Jury Special Mention

Winner Seattle:Youth Jury Prize for Best Futurewave Feature

• Country Denmark, Sweden
• Language Swedish, English, French, German, Arabic with English Subtitles
• Running Time 88 minutes
• Format DCP
• Distributor Strand Releasing
• Director Axel Danielson, Maximilien Van Aertryck
• Cast Christ Anderson, Felix Bergsson, Ulrika Bergsten
• Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.