REMOTE follows Unoaku, an ex-pat architect living in a solar-punk apartment in Kuala Lumpur, and four other women living on their own in Iran, Argentine, Puerto Rico and South Africa. While watching a popular South Korean dog grooming show, the five women discover they are connected through mysterious portals hidden in their homes.

Set in a near future, Mika Rottenberg and Mahyad’s Tousi’s film explores what it means to be connected in this global age of pandemics, and the escalating reach of technology into the lives of billions of people around the world.

In a post-pandemic near future, Unoaku (Okwui Okpokwasili) is an ex-pat in Kuala Lumpur, working from home as an architect from her solarpunk apartment. Her life is all about calm rituals and routines, ending every day with her secret love: online dog grooming videos.

Watching a live online event one day featuring star South Korean dog groomer Eunji (Joony Kim) and her dog, Soju, Unoaku notices a strange anomaly which seems not to be noticeable to other viewers: Did she really see it, or did she imagine it? She can’t tell, and her inner calm starts to unravel until she’s contacted by Anu (Nikita Tewani) with the news that she, too, can see the anomaly, and that they’re not the only ones…

Through the shared experiences of five women living in different countries connected by their curiosity and sense of wonder, Remote co-creators Mika Rottenberg and Mahyad Tousi explore the impact of the technology and convenience we take for granted. You can discover more about the creative process and the production in the pre-recorded Q&A, which follows the screening.

Presented by the Palace Cinema in partnership with Turner Contemporary and in association with Artangel. 

Remote premieres in the UK at Tate Modern London on 5 Oct followed by a UK tour. UK screenings are c/o Artangel, one of the original commissioning partners for the project alongside the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, DK; and Moderna Museet, Stockholm, SE; in association with Hauser & Wirth. The film was completed with support by MOCA’s Environmental Council, Los Angeles, US; Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, CA; X Museum, Beijing, CN; and the Busan Biennale, KR.

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