The Future Is Now!

A journalist meets “Man of Today” who, while a responsible citizen, is disengaged from greater society. He believes once he’s dead nothing more matters. As an experiment to see if she can turn his pessimistic view around, the journalist sends him on a journey of enlightenment to prove that the future does matter. Travelling the globe, he finds himself in surprising encounters with great minds in the arts and sciences. Starting with an unexpected poetry reading and conversation with experimental poet Christian Bök, Man of Today engages with architect Shigeru Ban, activist Francis Dupuis-Déri, philosopher Alain de Botton, artist Marlene Dumas, novelist Rivka Galchen, leading scientists and a ghost. Will the journalist succeed in turning a cynic into an optimist? Will it matter? What can one person do?

• Release date
• June 24, 2011
• Runtime
• 91 min
• Director
• Gary Burns

Cast

Paul Ahmarani Man Of Today Liane Balaban Woman Of Tomorrow Alain de Botton The Philosopher

S

Shigeru Ban The Architect

C

Christian Bök The Poet

M

Marlene Dumas The Artist

F

Frances Dupuis-Déri The Anarchist

R

Rivka Galchen The Author