EXCLUSIVE: Rapid advances in deepfake technology are stoking fears about potential misuse of the AI technology in the future. But the young women in the new documentary Another Body already know what damage it can do: Their lives were upended after they became the targets of deepfake porn.
Utopia has acquired U.S. rights to the award-winning film written, directed and produced by Sophie Compton and Reuben Hamlyn. The studio, in partnership with WILLA, will release Another Body on October 20 at IFC Center in New York (with preview screenings there on October 18 and 19), and on October 27 in Los Angeles; the documentary becomes available on digital streaming platforms on October 20. We have your first look at the film in the trailer above.
“I was sitting here with my boyfriend and my face popped up on the screen,” recalls the main protagonist in the film. “And then it kind of hit me, what had actually happened.”
Another Body, produced by Elizabeth Woodward, follows efforts by the young woman to figure out who had deepfaked video of her appearing in pornographic scenes; she soon realized other women she knew had been targeted in a similar fashion. But there was a problem: “The detective that got assigned to the case, he said that it’s disgusting what happened, but the person had a right to do it,” she says in the trailer. “Like, they didn’t break any laws.”
‘Another Body’
Utopia/WILLA
Kyle Greenberg, Utopia’s head of marketing & distribution, said in a statement, “Utopia looks forward to collaborating with WILLA on a film that exposes the bone-chilling implications of AI in ongoing debates about online identity and gender autonomy. Bringing this timely subject to theaters through this unique partnership will disturb, infuriate and motivate audiences.”
“Another Body is a timely, compelling, horrifying documentary that dives deep into the world of deepfakes. The film unravels an incredible true story of investigation that highlights the unstoppable power of women to overcome shame and silencing to share their stories,” said Woodward, Founder of WILLA. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Utopia to launch a release for the film that will innovate and really get people talking about this critical problem that is exploding in scale.”
(L-R) Sophie Compton, Elizabeth Woodward and Reuben Hamlyn win the Special Jury Award for Innovation in Storytelling for ‘Another Body’ at SXSW.
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for SXSW
The documentary marks the directorial debut of Compton and Hamlyn.
“We are fired up by the innovative, filmmaker-focused approach to distribution that both Utopia and WILLA are pioneering,” the directors said in a statement. “Their vision, energy and commitment to bringing daring, artful movies into the world feels urgently needed in a moment where documentary distribution pathways are rapidly shrinking.”
“Critics reviewed Another Body as an urgent, thriller-like, true crime story with a powerful emotional core, at the center of the zeitgeist,” notes a release about the film. “Audiences responded to it like a digital horror film, blowing the lid on one of the most disturbing new forms of online gendered violence… The film recently won multiple audience awards on its festival run, which has included a series of spotlight panels about the issues explored in the film. Their panel at SXSW in the tech conference ‘Deepfakes & Documentary: Using AI in Character Driven Storytelling,’ moderated by Mia Galuppo at The Hollywood Reporter, was sold out.”
Another Body is a WILLA, Mumuration, Remarkably Calm production, presented by Impact Partners. Executive Producers include Geralyn Dreyfous, Jenny Raskin, Lauren Haber, Inmaat Productions, Meadow Fund, Bill & Ruth Ann Harnisch – The Harnisch Foundation, Ann Lewnes, Maiken Baird, Mason Orfalea & The Natalie Orfalea Foundation, Chris & Heidi Stolte, Lisa & Matthew Sonsini, Gloria Zhu & Stanley Tang – Bearcat Content. Co-Executive Producers include Kelsey Koenig, Nina & David Fialkow, Meryl Metni – Ubiquitous EG. The editor-writer is Isabel Freeman; editor is Rabab Haj Yahya. Nausheen Dadabhoy is the director of photography; the score was composed by Holland Andrews.
The acquisition deal was negotiated by the filmmakers directly with Utopia and WILLA.
Watch the trailer for Another Body above.
