Legendary Chariots of Fire Director Hugh Hudson’s new film Rupture is set to make an early debut at EIFF, before it is even fully finished.
A clip from the film, a personal document of his wife’s (former Bond Girl Maryam d’Abo) recovery from a brain haemorrhage, will be screened as part of The Machine in the Ghost, an interactive evening delving deep into notions of personal identity and consciousness, presented by Dr Paul Broks.
Dr Broks is an award winning Professor of neurological philosophy and author of the acclaimed Into the Silent Land. Taking place on Wednesday 22nd June in the debating hall of the historic Teviot building The Machine in the Ghost is part of EIFF’s Reel Science strand, an exploration of real scientific issues using the popular medium of film. Audiences will see clips from cult movies such as The Matrix, Frankenstein and Total Recall while a question posed by their topics is highlighted: Can and should we create life? What are the ethics around artificial intelligence? Can memories be selectively erased? There will also be an interactive experiment challenging concepts of fantasy and reality for viewers.
Dr Broks, whose background is rooted in psychology, will also touch upon his recent film Martino Unstrung a search for the soul of legendary jazz guitarist Pat Martino who was brutally silenced by memory- stripping brain surgery.
The Machine in the Ghost takes place at 20:15, Festivalhouse@Teviot Devbating Hall, Wednesday 22nd June.
