Futuristic Bicentennial Man to be featured at Syracuse University Film Festival on Sept. 26

Futuristic Bicentennial Man to be featured at Syracuse University Film Festival on Sept. 26September 19, 2002Judy Holmesjlholmes@syr.edu

The 1999 futuristic “Bicentennial Man” will be the next featured film in the Fall 2002 Film Festival, sponsored by Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies. The film will be shown at 7 p.m., Sept. 26 in SU’s Kittredge Auditorium in Huntington Beard Crouse Hall. A discussion, led by Dean Raymond von Dran will follow. The film festival is free and open to the public.

Starring Robin Williams, “Bicentennial Man” is based on a work by Isaac Asimov and directed by Chris Columbus, director of “Mrs. Doubtfire.”

Williams plays Andrew, a robot programmed for domestic chores and sold to an upper-middleclass family in the year 2005. The family patriarch (played by Sam Neill) recognizes and encourages Andrew’s uncommon characteristics, particularly his artistic streak, sensitivity to beauty, humor and independence of spirit. In so doing, he sets Williams’ tin man on a two-century journey to become more human than most human beings.

“Bicentennial Man” is a compelling discourse about technology and humanity. Is there a difference between artificial and biological intelligence?

Is emotion an artifact of biology? Do machines have rights?

The School of Information Studies film festival is designed to stimulate thought and discussion about the role of information in society through the medium of film. Faculty members and doctoral students from the school will facilitate discussions immediately following the viewings.