A Conflict Between Two Authorities

**Film Newsletter: Exploring ‘Turner & Constable’ and Surviving AI**

In this edition of our film newsletter, we explore the intriguing world of British landscape painters and the modern challenges of AI. The featured film, *Turner & Constable: Rivals and Originals*, navigates the complexities of showcasing the supposed rivalry between Turner and Constable, two giants of British art. Based on a Tate Britain exhibition, this documentary endeavours to bring their artistic conflicts to life with flowing camera work that captures the essence of old England. Michael Glover evaluates whether the film succeeds in dramatizing the legendary competition.

On a different note, the discussion also delves into the age of artificial intelligence. Two provocative Sundance films, including *THE AI DOC: OR HOW I BECAME AN APOCALOPTIMIST*, direct attention towards survival strategies in a world increasingly dominated by AI. Kathy Ou reviews how these documentaries—“Ghost in the Machine” and “THE AI DOC”—converge in calling audiences to reflect and act, albeit through distinct narrative paths.

Additionally, we revisit archives with insights from Theo Anthony, who discusses how cinema’s evolution feeds into today’s surveillance states, and explore the mechanisms of bias inherent in AI, as unraveled in the documentary *Coded Bias*. Both delve into the pervasive impact of film and technology on society, providing historical context and contemporary implications.

—Hakim Bishara, Editor-in-Chief