Kurzweil to present sneak previews of Singularity Is Near and Transcendent Man films at Coolidge Corner Theatre

May 6, 2009

Ray Kurzweil will present an exclusive preview of excerpts from the much-anticipated forthcoming movie The Singularity Is Near at The Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Mass. on Monday, May 11 at 7pm.

The special program, An Evening with Ray Kurzweil, is part of the Coolidge Corner Theatre’s acclaimed “Science on Screen” series.

Based on the book of the same title, the The Singularity Is Near film combines a documentary featuring Kurzweil interacting with leading thinkers on the impact of exponentially expanding technologies on the nature of human life in the next half century, and a drama featuring Ramona, an avatar created by Kurzweil, as she becomes increasingly humanlike and independent. She hires Alan Dershowitz (who plays himself) to press for her legal rights as a person, and receives coaching from Tony Robbins, who also plays himself, to learn the secret of what it means to be human.

Kurzweil will also show the trailer of director Barry Ptolemy’s Transcendent Man documentary film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last week, charting Kurzweil’s journey to bring his ideas about the Singularity to a worldwide audience. Kurzweil will discuss these films and give a presentation on their implications for the future, and will lead a question-and-answer session following his talk.

With “Science on Screen,” the Coolidge showcases a feature film, documentary, or preview based in science, paired with exciting presentations by notable figures from the worlds of science, technology and medicine. Created by Richard Anders and launched in 2005, this monthly series is co-presented by the Museum of Science, Boston and New Scientist magazine. Tickets available online or at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard Street, Brookline, Mass, 617.734.2500.