I Am Human (film)
| I Am Human | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Taryn Southern, Elena Gaby |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Joel Froome |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Pierre Takal |
Production company | Futurism[2] |
Release date |
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Running time | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
I Am Human is an American documentary film that debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019. Directed, produced, and written by Taryn Southern and Elena Gaby,[3] it featured Bryan Johnson, David Eagleman, Ramez Naam, Tristan Harris,[4] Nita Farahany, and John Donoghue.[5] The documentary film "chronicles how neurotechnology could restore sight, retrain the body, and treat diseases—then make us all more than human."[1]
Production
I Am Human was the directoral debut of both Taryn Southern and Elena Gaby, who also produced and wrote the film. It was executive produced by Alex Klokus, the founder of the technology media company Futurism, and the American director Geoff Clark.[5]
Premise
I Am Human follows the medical cases of three patients undergoing complex experimental brain treatments with the goal of regaining lost abilities, including body movement and vision.[6]
The documentary follows Bill, a man who became quadriplegic following a bicycle accident, who successfully had use of his arms and hands restored by a brain implant; Anne, who has Parkinson's disease but had its symptoms managed through technology;[7] and Stephen, who lost his eyesight due to a neurological condition.[8]
Release
I Am Human was debuted at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival to wide acclaim.[9] The documentary film has subsequently become the topic of screenings and expert panel discussion at multiple higher education institutions and international standards organizations ranging from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers[10] to Case Western Reserve University[11] (2020) and Harvard University (2021).[12] It was screened at the Utah Film Center.[13]
Critical reception
In a review for The Verge, senior tech and policy editor Adi Robertson considered I Am Human to "an optimistic, wholesome antidote to fearmongering" that had "a refreshing focus on people". Robertson lauded its "fundamentally optimistic" nature with relation to "neuroscience and brain medicine".[8]
References
- ^ a b Pardes, Arielle. "Brain-Machine Interfaces Could Give Us All Superpowers". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ Banas, Jacob (April 30, 2019). "From Futurism Studios, I Am Human Explores the Future of Neurotechnology". Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ "'The First Cyborgs Are Here': Filmmakers Taryn Southern & Elena Gaby Showcase Brain Implant Tech In 'I Am Human'". CBS News. 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ "I am Human: Creepy Line". CBC. 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ a b "I AM HUMAN | 2019 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ Stewart, Dillon (January 27, 2020). "I Am Human Documentary Features FES Center, CWRU". Cleveland Magazine. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ "I am Human: Anne". CBC. 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Robertson, Adi (2019-05-19). "I Am Human is a tech doc with a refreshing focus on people". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ Niesel, Jeff. "Documentary Film 'I Am Human' to Have Its Cleveland Premiere on Jan. 30 at the Hanna Theatre". Cleveland Scene. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ "'I Am Human' Film Screening and Panel Discussion | IEEE Brain". Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ Okoben, Janet (2020-01-22). "I AM HUMAN premiere and panel discussion". The Daily. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ "I Am Human: Virtual Panel Discussion". mbb.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
- ^ betaece (2020-01-23). "I Am Human". Electrical & Computer Engineering | University of Utah. Retrieved 2024-05-18.