REVIEW: Daffodil – a streamed science fiction experience

Non-binary multi-disciplinary  artist Anil Sebastian’s debut film is a wonderfully designed exploration of artificial  intelligence, gender and identity that is a joy to watch and listen to.

Anil not only wrote the script and devised the musical soundtrack but also produces a solo performance as a rogue scientist determined to recreate a dead child from video memories.

Huge glass tubes at a secret scientific establishment have swirling blood-red substances within them, and this is just one  of many special effects created alongside Thomas Rawle’s vivid and magnetic animation.

Cleverly inter-cut with home movies of Anil as a child, Daffodil is both a controversial guesstimate of our future but also a touching attempt to capture lost previous moments.

When the AI creation Ingmar comes to life, it is a Dali-esque globular figure floating in millions of highly-coloured particles. The other-worldliness is accentuated  by the beautiful choral harmonies of the London contemporary  voices choir.

When a dialogue window is opened by the scientist Ingmar eventually repeats dialogue from the childhood videos – a spine-tingling moment.

Is it fear of the unknown future or a Frankenstein- like guilt of unauthorised creation that leads the scientist to delete the sentient being ? And will there be another future attempt?  Who can say? –  but this 20-minute fantasy would be best watched on a large screen and with big speakers. It’s breathtaking.

Directed by Anil and Thiing Studios , Daffodil is available to view on video channel NOWNESS.

You can watch it, free, here: