Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Philippines, 2024
Opening August 21, 2025

Directed by: Simon Jaquemet
Writing credits: Simon Jaquemet
Principal actors: Elliott Crosset Hove, Rila Fukushima, Sandra Guldberg Kampp, João Nunes Monteiro, Helen Schneider

The new baby of Akiko (Rila Fukushima) and Sonny (Elliott Crosset Hove) suffers from a degenerative disease with a 30% chance of survival within the coming year. Sonny (also known as Dr. Jason Brugger, a successful computer scientist) sets up an artificial intelligence program to counteract this condition. He makes a deal with the AI character (the being) who lives in his supercomputer simulation to save his baby. His colleague Raul (João Nunes Monteiro) follows the situation, as Sonny works with the being, an artificial creature that appears in the real world. This is an attempt to “surpass the power of the human brain into super intelligence.” By messing with the network there is suddenly no electricity, i.e., no connection to the computer.

Director Simon Jaquemet seems to like the color blue. Electric Child opens with a bare screen colored pale blue and then continues throughout the next two hours with scenes in different shades of blue. Viewers with an artificial intelligence background may find it easier to follow the plot, which sometimes left me wondering what’s going on. New term: air gap, a situation which can isolate a computer system from other networks including the internet. Naturally, the actors are excellent, foremost Sandra Guldberg Kampp, who plays the being, appearing in the woods, on the beach, under water, in a house, etc., often completely naked, often holding the baby. This Swiss film, premiered at the Locarno Film Festival 2024. (Becky T.)