Fantastic Machine

Say cheese! Produced by Ruben Östlund’s Swedish banner Plattform Produktion (Triangle of Sadness, The Square), this timely documentary delves into the history of capturing images.

Filmmakers Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck take us on a journey through almost 150 years, from the pioneering moving pictures of The Horse in Motion to footage from the frontline of the Capitol riot in 2021.

“The film was born out of the collaborative structure of Plattform Produktion, where we all participate in the creative process of each other’s films. But in this case, the subject matter of ‘Fantastic Machine’ had all of us deep in discussion for the seven years it took to make the film. This is a film designed to provoke, to illuminate, to turn a mirror back on society and ask, ‘What the hell are we all doing?’” - Ruben Östlund for Variety

So be prepared for the lens to turn on the image consumers amongst us in the audience. Fantastic Machine uncovers just how this incredible invention, the camera, can be misused in the wrong hands. Serious stuff, but it’s worth saying that this film also serves as a kind of ‘best of’ viral clips that you may have missed over the last twenty-odd years - some of them just need to be seen to be believed.