Century 21 Calling

Once we were all promised a better tomorrow with robots, atomic-powered cars and inflatable plastic homes. After the second world war, the promises of technology made it seem like everything was possible. However, it seems like much of this optimism might have been a bit premature. Where is the dream of tomorrow now? Do we still dare to dream of the future?

Century 21 Calling is a series of screenings initiated by the Thomas Walskaar, and normally hosted at Varia in Rotterdam. Together, we take a look at the archival industrial films, corporate infomercials, tv reports and historical documentary of yesterday that shaped the imagination of tomorrow and hold it up to the light of the present. 

At Plokta we will be looking back at movies from 1960 and 90s that have influenced today's world of computer graphics, user interfaces, audio technology and computer networks. From synthesising speech, 3d animated movies to the future office, video calls and futuristic corporate presentations.  

Followed by a presentation by media artist Ryan Cherewaty. The talk will feature an overview of computer interfaces in film throughout the history of visual effects. The presentation will focus on early compositing and image generation technologies, hilarious aspects of speculation on future computing, and the homogenisation of digital interfaces in contemporary film. An additional focus of the program will be non-western ideas regarding interfaces