Roberto dos Santos, creator of the debut feature film *This Is How the World Ends*, is opting for an unconventional and challenging release strategy. In a bold move against the tide of digital accessibility and increasingly prevalent AI in creative fields, dos Santos has chosen to release his film directly to VHS, marking the first such release in two decades. He passionately states, “I’m asking people to do a lot, but that’s what it means to be a human.”
His film, *This Is How the World Ends*, tells the poignant story of two siblings reuniting at a party on the eve of humanity’s demise, a narrative reminiscent of *On the Beach* but transposed to the setting of Burning Man. While the cinematic merit of the film is acknowledged, its truly remarkable aspect lies in its distribution method. In the early 2000s, VCRs were a ubiquitous household item in Britain, representing the format’s final flourishing before the advent of DVDs, Blu-ray, and ultimately, streaming services. The production of VCRs officially ceased in 2016 with the closure of the last manufacturer, Funai Electric. Consequently, releasing a film directly to VHS presents a significant hurdle for viewers, deliberately complicating the experience of watching the movie.
Dos Santos expresses a strong aversion to artificial intelligence in the creative process, echoing the sentiment that, “Someone once said that if your mum can do it, it doesn’t have value.” This philosophy underscores his commitment to a human-centric approach to filmmaking and distribution, even if it means embracing a format that requires substantial effort from the audience.