Death of a Fantastic Machine

Death of a Fantastic Machine

2025
17min

Documentary film from 2025 by directors Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck. A short film about how economic interests have, throughout history, influenced how we use the camera — from the earliest photographs to today’s algorithms and AI. This visual essay expands on themes from the acclaimed documentary about the history of the camera and our relationship to it, “And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine.”

Death of a Fantastic Machine

Storyline

Documentary film from 2025 by directors Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck. A short film about how economic interests have, throughout history, influenced how we use the camera — from the earliest photographs to today’s algorithms and AI. This visual essay expands on themes from the acclaimed documentary about the history of the camera and our relationship to it, “And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine.”
Cast