Asif Kapadia’s latest work, 2073, defies categorization by fusing speculative fiction with actual archival footage. The result is a cinematic vision that unsettles by its closeness to the present. Known for his documentary portraits such as Senna, Amy, and Diego Maradona, Kapadia has shifted his lens toward global systems, addressing themes like authoritarianism, climate breakdown, and digital surveillance. Rather than creating a fictional dystopia, he reconstructs one from the world as it currently exists.
Ghost, played by Samantha Morton, serves as the audience’s guide in 2073. She wanders the ruins of New San Francisco, narrating a future marked by collapse, where surveillance drones and militarized forces dominate the remnants of society. Her surroundings are not the product of elaborate CGI but composed of mobile footage, newsreels, and documentary clips. This method grounds the speculative world in present-day reality, intensifying its sense of plausibility. Kapadia’s use of found media forces viewers to confront the possibility that the future he envisions is already unfolding.
The film’s development reflects a significant evolution in Kapadia’s process. Working under a tight deadline due to an impending writers’ strike, the script for 2073 was written in only three weeks. The project employed dual editing teams—Chris King managing documentary sequences and Sylvie Landra shaping the dramatized portions. This division of labor allowed the film to integrate distinct storytelling forms while maintaining coherence. The incorporation of LED volume technology, similar to that used in The Mandalorian, enabled Kapadia to blend staged performances with background footage from real-world events.
In one pivotal sequence, Ghost navigates an abandoned mall where LED screens display interviews with journalists such as Maria Ressa and Carole Cadwalladr. These recorded voices, drawn from real interviews, reflect on censorship, political violence, and the erosion of public truth. This hybrid approach exemplifies Kapadia’s commitment to documentary integrity while expanding its cinematic boundaries. His ability to merge footage and fiction without disorienting the viewer speaks to years of experimentation with the documentary form.
Kapadia’s longstanding collaboration with editor Chris King has shaped much of his career. Their work on Amy showcased a willingness to depart from conventional interview formats, relying instead on audio testimonies and visual cues. In 2073, that strategy evolves further. Interviews are never presented in the traditional “talking head” format. Instead, voices are woven into the narrative, emerging from screens and speakers within Ghost’s world. This approach collapses the boundary between real and imagined, turning the viewer’s act of watching into a form of participation.
Audience reactions to 2073 vary depending on location. In Spain, viewers identified most with the environmental crises depicted on screen, while political segments struck a deeper chord in the United States. These reactions highlight Kapadia’s sensitivity to regional perspectives. He crafts films that adapt to the viewer’s context, inviting different interpretations rather than imposing a singular meaning. That responsiveness amplifies the film’s relevance, reinforcing its message that systemic failure is not a distant threat but an immediate concern.
Beyond visual construction, 2073 also challenges sonic conventions. Collaborating again with composer Antonio Pinto, Kapadia layered orchestral motifs with synthetic soundscapes. This auditory blend mirrors the visual juxtaposition of archival and speculative content. The score does not manipulate emotion; rather, it echoes the film’s unease, creating a sustained tension. Sound is used as a tool of immersion, ensuring that viewers remain anchored in Ghost’s environment, even as the narrative shifts between timelines and media formats.
Kapadia’s visual metaphors in 2073 draw upon decades of documentary craft but break free of its limitations. The character of Ghost, though fictional, becomes a vessel through which real political and environmental anxieties are channeled. The film deliberately offers no catharsis. Its concluding sequences, in which Ghost reflects on the irreversible damage and the silence of those who might have acted, leave audiences with an unspoken question: what comes next?
With 2073, Asif Kapadia has expanded the scope of nonfiction cinema. The film refuses resolution and avoids optimism. Instead, it compels viewers to recognize continuity between current headlines and future consequences. Kapadia’s vision does not ask us to imagine disaster—it shows us how little imagination is needed to see it.
