Ghost in the Shell (QAF)

Monday, October 28, 2019

Elektra KB presents GHOST IN THE SHELL (Mamoru Oshii, 1996)

Major Motoko Kusanagi is a cyborg living in the fictional Japanese city of Niihama, circa 2029. As commander of a task force in search of hackers overtaking the cyberbrains of cyborg-human hybrids, she is made to confront her own identity and alienation. For video and performance artist Elektra KB, GHOST IN THE SHELL presents “technological possibilities for some disabled humans, that, like me, fantasize often about getting a functional robot body.” In Elektra’s words, the film prompts us to “think of speculative trans-feminist technologies while showing elements of a radically tender, liberatory future in an AI cybernetic-dysphoria-hacking cyberpunk world.”

Elektra KB on GHOST IN THE SHELL:
“Living in a conflict with the body I was assigned has been a constant for most of my life. GHOST IN THE SHELL speaks to me about the exchange of shells, not as mere interchangeable prosthetics, but us technological possibilities for some disabled humans, that, like me, fantasize often about getting a functional robot body. I am currently preoccupied with becoming a part-machine cyborg to actualize my body. I want to engage corporeal sickness, disability, and chronic pain with utopian possibilities and alternative universes. GHOST IN THE SHELL makes us think of speculative trans-feminism technologies while showing elements of a radically tender, liberatory future in an AI cybernetic-dysphoria-hacking cyberpunk world.”

Screening as part of the Fall 2019 season of Queer|Art|Film.


  • Country Japan
  • Language In Japanese with English subtitles.
  • Year 1996
  • Running Time 83 minutes
  • Director Mamoru Oshii
  • Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.