Kuvaus
In this special English-language episode of Elokuvan politiikka, my guest is Nitin Sawhney, Docent in Computer Science at the University of Helsinki and Uniarts Helsinki. A researcher, artist and filmmaker, Sawhney works at the intersection of technology, human rights, historical memory and creative resistance.
The conversation centres on NAZA, directed by Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham, the co-directors alongside Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal behind the Oscar-winning No Other Land. Based on interviews with 24 anonymous members of the Israeli military and intelligence services, the documentary investigates AI-assisted warfare, automated surveillance and the use of civilian data in Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
What happens when phone calls, family relationships and everyday movements become military intelligence? Who is responsible when an algorithm helps select a target? And how can Israeli filmmakers expose hidden military technologies without allowing insiders to overshadow Palestinian experiences?
We also explore Sawhney’s personal and creative journey, from experiencing the Iranian Revolution as a child and his political awakening in the United States to working with young people in Palestinian refugee camps. Sawhney discusses Flying Paper, his documentary about Gaza’s culture of kite flying, and developing his film Where’s Daddy?, which also examines AI-assisted warfare
