In his recent film 2073, Asif Kapadia crafts an unsettling portrait of a future dominated by digital surveillance and authoritarian rule, drawn directly from today’s political and environmental realities. Known for documentary masterpieces such as Amy and Senna, Asif Kapadia has transitioned from chronicling the personal struggles of public figures to interrogating the systemic forces that shape societies. In 2073, this shift is not merely thematic—it is structural, as the film fuses speculative fiction with real-world documentation to chart a path from present conditions to dystopian outcomes.
Set in the ruins of a future New San Francisco, the film follows Ghost, a woman hiding from an omnipresent regime. Samantha Morton’s character survives in a derelict shopping center, cut off from the networked world, surrounded by drone patrols and biometric surveillance. Through voiceover monologues, she reflects on how civilization fell—a collapse shown through actual footage of recent wildfires, protests, and crackdowns. This hybrid format reflects Asif Kapadia’s ongoing commitment to blurring the boundary between reality and cinematic narrative.
The inclusion of present-day figures and events is central to the film’s message. Commentators such as Carole Cadwalladr and Rana Ayyub appear in documentary sequences that Asif Kapadia terms “time capsules.” These segments highlight the global rise of digital authoritarianism, from the erosion of press freedom to the weaponization of misinformation. The voices are not chosen randomly; they are those of journalists who have faced censorship, surveillance, and institutional pushback for exposing the workings of power.
Asif Kapadia’s vision is also rooted in personal experience. After being placed on a watch list following a trip to the United States in the early 2000s, he faced repeated scrutiny when traveling. These encounters informed the depiction of interrogations in 2073, where characters endure dehumanizing procedures based on real examples, such as those reported by Uyghur detainees in China. The personal becomes political in Kapadia’s storytelling, reinforcing the notion that systemic repression often begins with individual targeting.
While 2073 may seem like a narrative departure from earlier works, it remains consistent in its focus on those pushed to the margins. Asif Kapadia has long explored the lives of outsiders—individuals who resist, challenge, or are broken by dominant forces. In this film, that role is taken on by women. Ghost becomes the face of defiance in a world that seeks to erase memory and individuality. The film’s choice to spotlight female journalists and activists further reinforces the theme of marginalized resistance.
The film also reflects Kapadia’s broader political awareness. Interviews and source material reference regimes in India, the Philippines, and Brazil, drawing direct lines between current leaders and the film’s fictional autocracy. In a bold move, 2073 includes footage of figures like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, whose influence over digital infrastructure and public policy is depicted as central to the erosion of democratic norms. The decision to name and depict real individuals is a hallmark of Kapadia’s fearless approach to authorship.
Critics have noted that 2073 avoids conventional storytelling arcs in favor of episodic fragments. This approach mirrors the fragmented nature of contemporary media consumption and political understanding. Asif Kapadia does not offer a single narrative of decline, but rather a layered collage of voices, moments, and warnings. By resisting a traditional protagonist-driven arc, the film underscores that the threats it depicts are systemic, not isolated.
The reception of 2073 has highlighted its prescient tone. Screenings around the world have prompted varied responses depending on local conditions—some audiences connect most with the climate crisis, others with the political repression. Asif Kapadia has stated that this mirroring effect was intentional: the film is a “reflection” that shifts depending on who watches it and where. This universality strengthens the film’s resonance as a political document.
With 2073, Asif Kapadia reaffirms his role not just as a filmmaker, but as a public thinker concerned with the consequences of silence and complicity. He presents a world built from today’s overlooked warning signs, rendered with cinematic clarity and emotional depth. For a director whose past subjects met tragic ends, this film extends the question to all of us: if we continue on our current path, what future remains?
