Octavia E. Butler

Showtime's "In the 20th Century" is a millennium-related series of feature-length documentaries in which famous directors take on major subjects of their choosing. In the third of the six films, "Yesterday's Tomorrows," filmmaker Barry Levinson delves into what we, as Americans, thought the future would be as we traveled through the 20th century. Houses and cars of the future, the promise of technology, and the other hopes and dreams of the early part of the century gave way to the fears and anxieties brought about by the atomic age and the Hollywood disaster films that followed. Soon we wondered if we could control technology, or if it would control us. This film is by turns light-hearted and thoughtful, and rare historical and archival film, produced by government and industry, alternates with on-screen interviews with people as diverse as consumer advocate Ralph Nader, cartoonist Matt Groening, futurist Alvin Toffler, comedienne Phyllis Diller, and actor Martin Mull.

An examination of the hitherto unexplored relationships between Pan-African culture, science fiction, intergalactic travel, and rapidly progressing computer technology.

Part of the Birthrights series, this BBC Two documentary is a wonderful window into the groundbreaking contributions of Black writers and creatives to the world of science fiction across literature, film and television. The program explores the evolving portrayal of Black characters and narratives in a genre often dominated by exclusionary perspectives, featuring compelling interviews with trailblazers like Octavia Butler, Samuel R. Delany, Mike Sargent, Steven Barnes and Nichelle Nichols. Celebrating the imaginative brilliance of Black sci-fi and fantasy creators, this seeks to examine the complexities of race within said genres as well as the visionary paths these resilient storytellers forge for the future of speculative fiction.

Set in a near-future Los Angeles devastated by societal collapse, a teenager with a unique gift must lead humanity in a battle against extinction. An adaptation of the first book in Octavia E. Butler’s acclaimed science fiction odyssey.

Alors que Dana, une jeune femme noire et une écrivaine en devenir, s'installe dans sa nouvelle maison, elle se retrouve propulsée dans le passé, dans une plantation du XIXe siècle, et confrontée à des secrets dont elle ignorait l'existence et qui coulent dans ses veines.