Événement

PBIFF, Thur April 10, 12:00pm, Shorts Block 16

2014 Palm Beach International Film Festival
at the Lake Worth Playhouse's Stonzek Theatre

Thur April 10, 12:00pm,
Shorts Block 16, 70 min

THE HUMAN FACE OF BIG DATA, Director: Sandy Smolan
With the rapid emergence of digital devices, an unstoppable, invisible force is changing human lives in ways from the microscopic to the gargantuan. "Big Data", is a phrase that was barely used a few years ago but now governs the day for many of us from the moment we awaken to the extinguishing of the final late-evening light bulb. The premise of the documentary is that all of our devices are creating a planetary nervous system and that the massive gathering and analyzing of data in real time is suddenly allowing us to address some of humanity's biggest challenges; including pollution, world hunger, and illness. The promise and peril in the growing revolution around big data is the playing field of a new documentary by Sandy Smolan, who's feature RACHEL RIVER was nominated for The Grand Jury Prize at The Sundance Film Festival and won the Jury Prize for Best Cinematography and special Jury Prize for Acting.

FLESH COMPUTER, Director: Ethan Shaftel
In a decaying apartment building in a ruined city, a handyman struggles to maintain order and care for his cybernetic 'pet project,' a strange mix of machine and organic parts. But when a pair of scavengers threatens a young girl, the handyman finds he has a surprising ally in the fight. Noted Australian philosopher David Chalmers explores the nature of consciousness in counterpoint to the action as it unfolds.