Director Jannes Callens is bringing his new documentary, "The Technological Sublime," to the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) in Taipei. The film aims to ground the abstract concept of artificial intelligence by documenting the physical supply chain required to power it.
The documentary follows a path starting at quartz mines in the Appalachians, moving through Taiwan’s chip plants and Chile’s lithium fields, and continuing to the undersea cables and the click-workers of Kenya. Callens stated he has a fascination with subjects that are hard to visualize, noting that people often treat AI as an invisible entity. He said that after researching the topic, it became clear to him that there is a very tangible ecosystem behind the myth of "green" AI.
Callens explained that an online image search for AI mostly yields humanlike robots, and he felt the absence of images regarding the underlying infrastructure pushed him toward this subject. He described the film as a work of art intended to tackle the subject in an audiovisual way. He said he hopes to bring nuance to the AI debate by showing the essence of technological miracles without being blind to the material, ecological, and human costs.
Delegate producer Steven Dhoedt, who has a long-standing interest in new technology, said there is plenty of hype around AI today, but for many, the technology remains an abstraction. Dhoedt stated that Callens’ approach is grounded rather than sensational and expressed his belief that this is the type of film about AI that is needed today.
The production is a co-production between Brussels-based Visualantics and Cobra Films, Paris-based Tag Film, and Taipei-based Reel Asia Pictures. While the first scenes have been shot, the team is currently waiting to lock down the rest of the film's financing. Belgian broadcaster VRT has boarded the project, and talks are ongoing with other European broadcasters.
With filming spread across four continents, the producers are seeking more investors and partners. Dhoedt noted that the TCCF provides a chance to bring the film to Asian audiences. Working with James Chia-Hao Hsu of Reel Asia Pictures, the team also hopes to begin conversations with sales agents and distributors during this stage.
The Taiwan Creative Content Fest, organized by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), runs from Nov. 6–9 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.
