Cyberpunk

Cyberpunk:Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema
October 6, 2024–April 12, 2026 Examines the global impact and lasting influence of the science fiction subgenre cyberpunk on cinema culture

Cyberpunk: Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema examines the global impact and lasting influence of the science fiction subgenre cyberpunk on cinema culture. Featuring near-future scenarios set on planet earth, cyberpunk films juxtapose technological advances with social upheaval, ecological crisis, and urban decay. Central to these stories are characters who fight against technology gone haywire, global mega-corporations, or colonialism.

The exhibition features posters, costumes, props, and concept art from iconic cyberpunk films such as Blade Runner (USA, 1982), Tron (USA, 1982), and eXistenZ (Canada, 1999). It also spotlights foundational animated features such as Akira (Japan, 1988) and Ghost in the Shell (Japan, 1995). At the exhibition's core, an immersive installation illustrates Cyberpunk's 20th-century origins as well as its 21st-century global direction. The genre has expanded and merged with other genres, such as Afrofuturism (Neptune Frost, Rwanda/USA, 2021), Latinxfuturism (Alita: Battle Angel, USA, 2019), and Indigenous Futurism (Night Raiders, Canada/New Zealand, 2021). A newly commissioned script by writer/director Alex Rivera infuses the central installation with novel insights about envisioning possible futures through film.