In a recent interview with CBR, Asif Kapadia, the director of Mindhunter’s early episodes, shared how his experience working on the Netflix series influenced his new dystopian sci-fi film, 2073. Set in a bleak future with surveillance drones and militarized police, the film blends science fiction with speculative nonfiction, pulling inspiration from real-world events. Kapadia credits his time in Pennsylvania during the 2016 election, while working on Mindhunter, as a key factor in shaping the film’s dark and cautionary tone.
Kapadia vividly recalls shooting Mindhunter amidst the political tension of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The divide between local supporters of Donald Trump and the visiting production team mirrored the same political unrest that Kapadia had witnessed in the UK during Brexit. This sense of global unease fueled his desire to create a film that not only examines the future but draws connections to current societal issues. 2073 incorporates real footage of contemporary crises, giving the movie an eerie sense of realism and urgency.
How do you think real-world political events can shape our vision of the future in films like 2073?