Robots fight back in ROBOTS OF BRIXTON

The robot revolution is upon us, just not in the sense that you might expect. Here is a wonderfully imaginative short film from Kibwe Tavares called Robots of Brixton. Instead of humans being turned into slaves, the robots have been forced to do horrible menial labor and reside in a run down portion of London. The short comes to a climactic ending when the police attemp to stop a riot.

Check it out below and share your thoughts:

The short was created in honor of the thirtieth anniversary of the infamous Brixton riots of 1981, where hundreds of local youths clashed with police in what TIME Magazine called "Bloody Sunday”.

Here’s the synopsis:

Brixton has degenerated into a disregarded area inhabited by London’s new robot workforce – robots built and designed to carry out all of the tasks which humans are no longer inclined to do. The mechanical population of Brixton has rocketed, resulting in unplanned, cheap and quick additions to the skyline.

The film follows the trials and tribulations of young robots surviving at the sharp end of inner city life, living the predictable existence of a populous hemmed in by poverty, disillusionment and mass unemployment. When the Police invade the one space which the robots can call their own, the fierce and strained relationship between the two sides explodes into an outbreak of violence echoing that of 1981.

The robots look great, from the fluidity of their movements to the textures used to animate them. I really enjoyed the mix of real footage from the even into the film. My favorite shots were during the riot when the robots were seen running with the camera up close and then switching to their feet as they ran was brilliant. 

What are your thoughts?