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More Than Robots

Name: More Than Robots
Director: Gillian Jacobs
Released: 2022
Duration: 89 min

Representation Score

6.3/10

Good

2022

Director

Gillian Jacobs

Runtime

89 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

More Than Robots is an international documentary that broadens its scope beyond a single cultural viewpoint. By following teams from various locations like Japan and Mexico, the film promotes a global perspective over a narrow, localized competition. The narrative centers on resilience and collaborative problem-solving, using the FIRST Robotics Competition to showcase how young people can overcome systemic challenges such as resource scarcity and global disruptions. While the film excels in showcasing diversity across geography and ethnicity, it remains neutral on personal identity markers. The focus is on technical perseverance and cross-cultural exchange rather than specific social identity politics.

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Category Breakdown

Does More Than Robots have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The documentary does not include any explicit LGBTQ+ characters or narratives related to queer identities.

How does More Than Robots portray gender?

Good

The film challenges traditional gender roles by highlighting teenage boys and girls taking on leadership roles in the male-dominated STEM field.

How racially and ethnically diverse is More Than Robots?

Excellent

The film showcases a diverse range of ethnicities, featuring teams from Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Chiba, Japan, which helps to break down Western-centric homogeneity.

How does More Than Robots represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative emphasizes international cooperation and shared human experiences, focusing on global issues like the pandemic rather than individual or nationalistic perspectives.

Does More Than Robots include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no specific mention of characters with physical disabilities or neurodivergence. No character arcs related to disability are highlighted.

Present on Screen

Highlights diverse teams from Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Chiba, promoting a global perspective.
Disrupts Western-centric homogeneity by presenting a multi-ethnic, international view.
Emphasizes collective success and international cooperation over nationalist competition.

Limited or Absent

Does not explicitly represent or focus on LGBTQ+ identities and narratives.
Does not provide any specific information about the portrayal of neurodivergence or physical disabilities.
Focuses on technical competition and may overlook deeper explorations of individual social identities.

Official Synopsis

More Than Robots follows four international teams of teenagers as they prepare for the 2020 FIRST Robotics Competition. Get to know competitors from Los Angeles, Mexico City and Chiba, Japan as they work towards the ultimate goal of taking their unique designs all the way to the highly competitive global championships. Along the way they must overcome challenges such as having limited resources or putting everything on hold because of the COVID pandemic. The kids persevere and learn that there is a lot more to the competition than just robots.

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