Daughter Replica

A film of antique decadence in the “Age of A.I.”

"Daughter Replica" observes human rebellion in the face of humanoid A.I. technology. It poses the question of how much can technological advancements replace in us.

At the heart of Daughter Replica is a mother-daughter love story, strained by the mother’s struggle to cope with her daughter’s deteriorating health. As American novelist, Marilynne Robinson, insightfully states, "It's the human impulse to escape from its humanity." In this narrative, DANIELLA, the mother, grapples with the unbearable reality of losing her daughter. In a desperate attempt to alleviate her pain, she introduces an A.I. look-alike, hoping to recreate her daughter's essence and fill the void left by her illness.

Currently, our society is experiencing A.I. generational growth flourishing everywhere. My objective was to capture the profound and unsettling experience of a first-time encounter between human and machine while maintaining a classical element. Amid this dynamic, I aimed to weave in a timeless, almost otherworldly quality—where the robot, played hauntingly by Danika Bike, evokes an ethereal presence, difficult to interpret, like a ghost. The arrival of this uncanny entity disrupts the bond between a mother and daughter, sparking responses that mirror our society's divided reaction to A.I.: some drawn to it while other's repelled. This tension, both tender and chilling, echoes the broader conversation around A.I.’s place in our lives right now.

As Oprah stated in her ABC Special on A.I. and the Future of Us, “We are going to be living with technology that can be our ally as well as our rival.” This duality is what originally inspired my writing for Daughter Replica. At its core, the sickly daughter, SOLEN, symbolizes humanity—imperfect yet beautifully unique. Humans embody a mesmerizing blend of flaws and strengths, delicately fragile yet remarkably resilient. In this film, Solen is my heartfelt tribute to humanity’s enduring spirit and our ability to RISE.

In the tradition of Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) and Scorsese (The Age of Innocence), Daughter Replica is a sci-fi film that evokes the spirit of the Victorian Era, creating a patina of time where the richness of the past meets the mystique of an A.I. future. As a seeker of the distinct, my aim was to craft a film that feels otherworldly. Every shot is imbued with a classical aesthetic, infused with an eerie atmosphere, beginning in an abandoned setting that mirrors a mother’s descent into despair. My passion for unique locations and ruins is a hallmark of my work, and one of my lifelong dreams was to film at the historic Alder Manor Estate, a place that possesses a soft, haunting quality I wanted to explore.

As we stand on the threshold of A.I.'s captivating advancements, we witness its transformative power redefining labor and reshaping our world. A.I. steps in to alleviate the burdens of tasks—jobs, thinking, creating—ushering in a new era of possibility. Yet, amidst these exhilarating advancements, a whisper of inadequacy lingers for humanity. In Daughter Replica, I delve into these complex emotions, exploring the essence of our humanness as we navigate the emergence of humanoid A.I. technology and its implications for our future.

This is a story about being replaced.