Virtual Friday Night Films at the Wende: Pilot Pirx's Inquest

Based on a short story by Polish sci-fi writer Stanisław Lem (author of Solaris), Pilot Pirx’s Inquest asks what it means to be human.

Released four years before Blade Runner, the film reflects growing anxieties about artificial intelligence and the use of technology during the Cold War period. For an Eastern Bloc production, Pilot Pirx’s Inquest is unusual for its denim-wearing rocket pilot hero and Western setting, including French location shots featuring a McDonald’s, plus its questions about the relationship between religious faith and humanness. The film is scored by acclaimed Estonian composer Arvo Pärt.

Watch with a subscription to Mubi, on Soviet Movies Online, or on Youtube, where it is available with English subtitles.

—

Virtual Film Picks are inspired by the in-person Friday Night Films at the Wende program series. This selection is part of a curated list of weekly movie suggestions that can be watched at home, in conjunction with #WendeOnline.