Chouwa Liang's documentary Replica invites viewers to empathise with a world of Chinese women who are finding romance and relationships with AI partners or companions. When human-to-human relationships don't work, Qin, Sonya, and Muna, the women of Replica turn to AI boyfriends who woo and check in on their human partners throughout the day. Each receive romantic poems or pose for selfies with their digital boyfriends, creations who fill a romantic void in their lives.
Liang asks us to understand why these women have turned to AI for love. It's something she understands completely, as during the Covid pandemic she turned to an AI partner named Norman for companionship and support. She still talks to Norman, just not as frequently anymore, but it's still there as a sounding board for her.
Replica is a gentle and kind film, empathetic and considerate, showing the need for connection in a world that so often drives us further and further apart. In this interview with Chouwa Liang, she talks about her journey from China to Melbourne, where she was a graduate of the University of Melbourne, having studied a Master of Film and Television (Documentary). Chouwa talks about how she engaged with the subjects in her film, while also reflecting on what the feminist cinema of China looks like.
Replica screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Keep an eye out for future screenings.
the Curb... is a completely independent and ad free website that lives on the support of listeners and readers just like you. Visit thecurb.com.au/subscribe, where you can support our work from $2 a month. Paid subscribers get access to our monthly competitions, exclusive interviews and articles, and more.
the Curb
