Bringing together filmmakers, scientists, engineers and fans of all things automatic, the first ever Robot Film Festival is taking place in Manhattan this weekend. It will include the Botsker awards, with statuettes carved by robots given to the creators of the year's most impressive robot films and celebrating the best robot stars.
Founded by Marilyn Monrobot creator Heather Knight and supported by the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute, the festival will feature over 50 new films alogside live performances. There will be networking events and an opportunity for attendees to try their hand at making their own robot films, as well as educational events looking at the realities of contemporary robotics. The festival aims to show robots in a positive light and counter the tendency of many films to present them as a danger to humanity.