2019 Film Festival
film synopsis
Before there was Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk, there was Marc Porat and his merry band of techies dedicating every waking hour, and even their dreams, to achieving the seemingly impossible. Created as an offshoot of Apple following the meteoric rise of the Macintosh, Porat’s General Magic was tasked with changing the world — and the device to do it was a handheld, touch-screen computer that was always connected to a radical thing called the Internet. Sound familiar? This endearing documentary basks in unseen archival footage of a bygone era when idyllic coders voluntarily bunked in offices where you can almost smell the body odor. Yet, as the insurmountable hype built, General Magic faced unforeseen obstacles and the tragic truth that maybe they were ahead of their time. Featuring dozens of interviews with those who lived it, including Joanna Hoffman and Tony Fadell, General Magic is a delightful ode to the pioneers of our time.
In competition for the Schlesinger Documentary Award.
film details
director biography
guests in attendance
Director Matthew Maude will be in attendance January 4 and 5.