Cyberpunk: Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema

Cyberpunk examines the global impact and lasting influence of the science fiction subgenre on cinema culture. Featuring near-future scenarios that are earthbound rather than in outer space, Cyberpunk films juxtapose technological advances with social disorder, envisioning a future characterized by alienation, totalitarianism, and urban decay. The Academy Museum’s exhibition features production materials, costumes, props, and concept art from iconic Cyberpunk films like Blade Runner (US, 1982), Tron (US, 1982), and The Matrix (US, 1999), and also spotlights international films such as Sleep Dealer (Mexico/US, 2008) and foundational animated features like Akira (Japan, 1988). At the exhibition’s core, an immersive installation illustrate the genre’s 20th-century origins and the new, global directions it has taken in the 21st century as Cyberpunk has expanded and merged with Afrofuturism, Indigenous Futurism, and other genres. Through these films, the exhibition confronts the ongoing challenges of climate change, capitalism, and colonialism and offer visions of possible futures.