‘After Yang’, directed by Kogonada is a Sci-Fi/family drama which follows a family seeking help after their A.I “adopted” brother/son stops working. The film depicts the families struggle to repair the A.I, Yang (Justin H. Min), whilst dealing with their daughter who has a deep emotional attachment to her A.I brother. The family dynamic unravels as they face new obstacles on the path to fix Yang. Jake (Colin Farrell) and Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith) initially introduced Yang into the family to teach their adopted daughter (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja) about her Chinese heritage, but Yang becomes a huge part of Mika’s life, and we soon learn that Yang is perhaps more advanced that ordinary A.I.
Despite the futuristic Sci-Fi setting, the film focusses on the intimate family relationships and how the failure of the A.I both forces the family apart and brings them back together again through their shared love of Yang who has brought out a deeper sense of connection within this family. Whilst questioning the potential for human feelings within A.I, it also asks its audience what it means to be human and asks us to re-evaluate these familiar relationships. In flashbacks, we see Yang getting along well within the family and exploring his potential for forming memories and feelings, whereas when he malfunctions, the family falls apart. ‘After Yang’ is a beautiful depiction of loss, family relationships and reconciliation within a Sci-Fi setting. The film was a fantastic choice for the closing gala of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.