The Human Frame

Documenting the Future: Sheila Hayman on AI, Migration & the Power of Storytelling

Łucja Hawking Season 1 Episode 13

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In this thought-provoking episode of The Human Frame, Łucja sits down with Sheila Hayman, a BAFTA and BAFTA Fulbright-winning documentary filmmaker whose work explores the shifting borders between technology, humanity, and storytelling.

Sheila reflects on her path into filmmaking and how her curiosity about the human condition, from artificial intelligence to displacement and migration, shapes her approach to crafting intimate, accessible documentaries. She shares her experience translating complex scientific ideas for wider audiences and how working closely with refugees and migrants deepened her belief in art as a tool for connection, dignity, and healing.

Together, they explore:
✨ Filmmaking as a bridge between science, society, and public understanding
✨ Making cutting-edge concepts, like AI and robotics, human, emotional, and relatable
✨ The role of documentary in amplifying refugee and migrant voices
✨ How personal history and identity shape artistic and political consciousness
✨ Art as a catalyst for empathy in a rapidly technologising world
✨ Sheila’s hopes for future storytelling that challenges apathy and nurtures human connection

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🔗 Sheila's website

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Host: Łucja Hawking

Music: Yago Cardalda 

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