Human rights activist Muhammad Rabbani is fighting against discrimination in the so-called ‘war on terror’. He travels around the world and is entrusted with highly sensitive personal information by people in vulnerable situations. One day when he returns to the UK, he is stopped at the border and asked to hand over the passwords to his mobile phone and computer. Muhammad Rabbani refuses. As a result, the dominoes start to fall: a journalist reveals the existence of a top-secret surveillance programme codenamed ‘Phantom Parrot’. It is a programme designed to copy personal data at airports and border crossings – and people from minority backgrounds are often the first to be pulled aside. An unsettling nexus of surveillance, tech and structural racism comes to light.
Kate Stonehill
KATE STONEHILL is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work explores power and citizenship in the digital age. Her debut feature Phantom Parrot (CPH:DOX, Sheffield Doc/Fest 2023) is currently playing at festivals. Her recent short films include The Family Statement (2022) for Field of Vision and the Grierson award nominated Mother (BFI London Film Festival 2020). She has worked on documentaries for Channel 4, Amazon Studios and VICE.
Gefolgt von Filmgespräch mit / Followed by film talk with Kate Stonehill
Kate Stonehill
KATE STONEHILL is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work explores power and citizenship in the digital age. Her debut feature Phantom Parrot (CPH:DOX, Sheffield Doc/Fest 2023) is currently playing at festivals. Her recent short films include The Family Statement (2022) for Field of Vision and the Grierson award nominated Mother (BFI London Film Festival 2020). She has worked on documentaries for Channel 4, Amazon Studios and VICE.
