After Yang

When an android malfunctions the family who owns it is confronted by the very real loss of a family member.

In a near future so-called «technosapiens» – real-like androids with advanced artificial intelligence – has become a part of everyday life. The title character Yang is one of these and is owned by a family to function as a brother and a mentor for the family’s adopted daughter, Mika, as a cultural anchor for her Chinese heritage. When Yang one day malfunction, the family is confronted with the very real loss of a family member and begins to gain insight into how Yang experienced the world around him.

Kogonada’s second feature film explores the larger questions in life from a very grounded vantage point, leaving the viewer with complex questions to ponder long after the film is over. A reviewer has described the film as a down to earth version of Blade Runner (1982), but it also brings to mind Spike Jonze’s Her (2013). In addition to exploring the possibilities for an artificial intelligence to possess a form of humanity, it also asks how close relations we can have to what is essentially a machine.

Red.

Director

Kogonada is an American director born in South Korea. He was first known for his video essays, where he explored the films of Wes Anderson, Robert Bresson, Jean Luc Godard and many others. In 2017 he made his feature film debut Columbus which premiered at Sundance. After Yang has been shown at Sundance and in Cannes. He is also one of the creators behind the critically acclaimed series Pachinko, which was released on Apple TV+ earlier this year.

This film is part of