Dust to Data – A cinematic exploration of the Digital Afterlife

Could AI be the way to soothe grief and prolong life after death, or could technology be racing too fast for regulation to steer a safe and steady course?

Dust to Data at FilmBath Festival

Jump on board for an evening of technological exploration, and envision a future where digital immortality becomes a reality. As part of the 2023 FilmBath Festival, watch the world premiere of Dust to Data to explore the important impact of technology on grief, mortality and digital legacies.

“We all have a digital footprint. Be it on social media, via music downloads, gaming avatars, voicemails, photos or email. But what happens to all of these digital touchpoints when someone dies? These films offer us an opportunity to consider the digital legacies we leave behind us when we die, and what role we can play in shaping the future of these pioneering technologies.”

• James Byron, Director of Engagement, Dorothy House

An interactive evening

As part of a live film debate on 26 October at Widcombe Social Club, audiences are invited to watch four short film monologues that each explore relatable near future stories of the opportunities and threats posed by different aspects of digital afterlives.

The four films will be followed by quick-fire live SLIDO surveys that will help the audience and creators discover how prepared as a society we are to embrace or reject the emergence of AI immortality.

All anonymous responses will be gathered together by Dorothy House and published to give the public a voice in the future development and regulation of these fast-moving technologies.

Teaming up to take on ‘tech’

These films are the product of an exciting partnership between Dorothy House, Kilter Theatre and students at the Universities of Bath and Bristol.

“Our students have worked with Kilter Theatre and Dorothy House to create four short films about digital immortality. ‘Grief bots’ that allow conversations with those who have passed are already here, and digital avatars are increasingly plausible. Join us for a thought – provoking evening that aims to prompt discussion about a topic that is entangled with opportunities and ethical dilemmas.”

• Professor Richard Owen –  EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Cybersecurity, University of Bristol

Following on from the 2022 investigation of Grief Bots, PhD students from the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber Security used their knowledge of the technological advancements in Artificial Intelligence, Digital Avatars and Deepfakes to work with representatives from Dorothy House and Kilter Theatre to create these four fascinating films.

“We have been working with pioneering researchers in cyber-security & immersive technologies for a number of years now & the rate of development in post-life technologies is taking everyone by surprise. The films we’ve had the privilege to create feel like an important tool to make this urgent & complex conversation accessible to all.”

• Olly Langdon – Kilter Theatre

Shape the debate, buy your tickets here