Friendship's Death

The android “Friendship” has been sent to Earth on a peacekeeping mission. On her way to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she inadvertently lands in Amman, Jordan. It is 1970 and the country is being torn apart by the “Black September” civil war. A journalist named Sullivan ushers Friendship to safety and they barricade themselves into a hotel. As the conflict rages outside, the two enter into a series of fascinating conversations about mortality, technology and the nature of warfare. Tilda Swinton gives a captivating early-career performance as Friendship. Together, the android and the wry, world-weary Sullivan tackle the question: Is humankind worth saving? Peter Wollen’s only solo feature film is a witty exploration of the relationship between man and machine that feels remarkably relevant today. The 4K remastering is based on the original 16mm colour negative; the audio track has been digitised directly from the original 35mm magnetic master track of the final mix. This restoration was undertaken by the Film Conservation Team at the British Film Institute in collaboration with the film’s producer, Rebecca O’Brien, and cinematographer, Witold Stok.