The Creator \\ Al and Al

The Creator from Al and Al, explores the legendary myth of the father of the computer age and maker of AI (Artificial Intelligence) machines, Alan Turing. Combining Lynchian nightmare with the prophetic themes of J.G. Ballard, The Creator takes you into the surreal dream world of the visionary scientist, where his binary children embark upon a mystical quest to discover their origins and destiny in the universe. This unique new film commission premieres on the occasion of the centenary of Turing’s birth.

The film is a forty-minute, Prix du Jury winning, sci-fi-fairytale response to the final hours of Turing’s life. A haunting monochrome requiem in which the father of artificial intelligence is visited by thinking machines from the future, Turing’s self-immolation giving rise to a new species who perceive his death as Year Zero, Christ resurrected, only to die in perpetuity. Contains scenes of a sexual nature and optical effects.

Al Holmes and Al Taylor are British filmmakers and visual artists. Known for their surrealist films, they combine live-action performance with computer-generated environments to create dream worlds in film. Since 2001 the duo has created an award-winning body of short films commissioned by Animate, Arts Council England, British Film Institute, Channel 4 television, Cornerhouse Cinema (HOME), Foundation for Art and Creative Technology, Film London, Museum of Modern Art, Antwerp, Southbank Centre and the World Science Festival, exhibiting internationally in galleries, site-specific installations, film festivals, television and concert halls.

The Creator will be presented as part of the exhibition WE WILL ALWAYS BE TOGETHER XX at The Fire Within in Wigan from 24th September 2020.

The Creator was commissioned and produced by HOME (previously Cornerhouse) and Creative England (previously Vision + Media) for AND Festival 2012.