JME Screening of the Algorithm-Directed Doc ‘ENO’ Offers Brian Eno Fans a Once-In-A-Lifetime Cinematic Event

The new documentary ENO puts all of its trust in the algorithms of random technology in chronicling the ongoing visionary legacy of its subject. Directed by Gary Hustwit, ENO offers an innovative exploration of the life and work of Brian Eno, the influential musician, producer, visual artist and aesthetic philosopher. Upon premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2024, the film distinguished itself through its generative approach, ensuring that each viewing presents a singular and screening-specific experience. WJCT Public Media and the Jacksonville Music Experience screen ENO at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22 at WJCT Studios. (Tickets)

The documentary utilizes a custom software program named “Brain One” (an anagram of Brian Eno), developed by artist Brendan Dawes. This technology selects from over 30 hours of interviews and 500 hours of archival footage to assemble a distinct version for each 90-minute screening. For live presentations, the Swedish technology company Teenage Engineering created B-1, a hardware iteration of the generative software. The sum total of those numbers and technology equals 52 quintillion (or 52 billion billion) possible viewing combinations, bolsters the odds of making each screening of ENO a highly likely once-in-a-lifetime viewing event.

Through archival live clips and present-day interview footage, the now-76-year-old Eno reflects on his half-century career as producer and collaborator with Roxy Music, Robert Fripp, David Bowie, Talking Heads, U2 and Coldplay, as well as his pioneering work as a solo artist and founding father of the ambient music genre.

WJCT Public Media and the Jacksonville Music Experience screen ENO at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22 at WJCT Studios, 100 Festival Park Avenue, Jacksonville, 32202. Tickets are $5 and available here.