Pervading Animal (2021)

Pervading Animal (2021) poster

Graeme Arnfield’s kaleidoscopic essay film revolves around the story of Dr. Joseph Popp, an evolutionary biologist and architect of one of the earliest known examples of ransomware. In 1989, Dr. Popp distributed 20,000 floppy disks containing what would come to be known as the digital AIDS virus – a malevolent trojan horse that scrambled the contents of the victims’ computers and offered to unlock them only in return for a ‘licensing fee.’ Working with a range of digitally manipulated found footage, Arnfield explores the legacy of Popp’s virus drawing surprising connections to the US invasion of Panama, the construction of a butterfly conservatory in New York and the aesthetics of computational art.

Director: Graeme Arnfield
Runtime: 31 min
Release Date:
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Original Language: en
More Films by Director: Graeme Arnfield

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pervading Animal about?
Graeme Arnfield’s kaleidoscopic essay film revolves around the story of Dr. Joseph Popp, an evolutionary biologist and architect of one of the earliest known examples of ransomware. In 1989, Dr. Popp distributed 20,000 floppy disks containing what would come to be known as the digital AIDS virus – a malevolent trojan horse that scrambled the contents of the victims’ computers and offered to unlock them only in return for a ‘licensing fee.’ Working with a range of digitally manipulated found footage, Arnfield explores the legacy of Popp’s virus drawing surprising connections to the US invasion of Panama, the construction of a butterfly conservatory in New York and the aesthetics of computational art.
Who directed Pervading Animal?
Pervading Animal was directed by Graeme Arnfield.
How long is Pervading Animal?
Pervading Animal has a runtime of 31m (31 minutes).
Where was Pervading Animal produced?
Pervading Animal was produced in United Kingdom.