Media Release
DISCONNECT ME
A must-see Australian documentary that will make you question
your relationship with your smartphone.
Can you disconnect from your smartphone?
The must-see Australian documentary, Disconnect Me, examines society’s ever-increasing addiction to our devices and will have audiences seriously questioning their relationship with their smartphone.
Fresh from official selection at the prestigious Cinefest Oz Film Festival, Disconnect Me releases in cinemas nationally from Thursday 19 October.
The film centres around independent filmmaker, Alex Lykos (Alex & Eve, Me & My Left Brain), who chooses to disconnect from his devices for 30 days. What starts as a simple digital detox soon spirals into Lykos facing unforeseen personal, professional and mental health challenges.
During his experiment, Lykos conducts interviews on digital addiction with everyone from schoolchildren and parents to professionals and academics such as Dr Catriona Wallace, Founder of Metaverse Alliance, Toby Walsh, Chief Scientist at UNSW AI Institute and Amanda Third, Digital Social and Cultural Research, Western Sydney University.
As Lykos delves into the social impacts of smartphones and social media, he also explores the role of artificial intelligence, with chilling results.
“There is one particular revelation about the threat of AI on humanity which absolutely shocked us, and it deserves some mainstream attention,” said Lykos.
In a unique twist, Lykos says audiences are encouraged to engage with the film in real time using their smartphones.
“This is a fresh, interactive cinema experience. We wanted to have a little fun with it so unlike every other film, we encourage audiences to use their smartphone to interact with various scenes throughout the film.”
In the spirit of documentary films, Super Size Me and That Sugar Film, Lykos aims to entertain while also shine a light on the ever-pervasive role of technology in our lives in a film that everyone can relate to. “We can’t wait for audiences to see our film and re-examine the role of technology in their lives. We know that smart devices are here to stay and they offer many great tools to enhance our lives but have you ever wondered – who controls who?” said Lykos.
