The Human Surge

The Human Surge
Promotional poster for The Human Surge
Spanish	El auge del humano
Directed by	Eduardo Williams
Produced by	Violeta Bava Rosa Martinez Rivero Jerónimo Quevedo[2]
Starring	Sergio Morosini Chai Fonacier Domingos Marengula Rixel Manimtim Manuel Asucan Irene Doliente Paña Shine Marx[2]
Cinematography	Eduardo Williams Joaquín Neira Julien Guillery[2]
Edited by	Eduardo Williams Alice Furtado[2]
Production companies	Bando À Parte Ruda Cine Un puma RT Features[2]
Distributed by	Ruda Cine[2]
Release date	August 8, 2016 (2016-08-08) (Locarno)
Running time	97 minutes[3]
Countries	Argentina Brazil Portugal[1]
Languages	Spanish Portuguese Cebuano[1]

The Human Surge (Spanish: El auge del humano) is a 2016 experimental film directed, written, shot and edited by the Argentine director Eduardo Williams. It was Williams' debut feature film, after having made a number of short features. The Human Surge is divided into three separate narrative and geographical segments: the first in Buenos Aires, the second in Maputo, and the third in Bohol.

Each segment follows a handful of characters, who are often seen loitering or drifting between spaces, such as workplace and home. The segments are linked with diegetic bridges involving digital communication. Williams has stated that he wanted to explore the sensation and feelings related to aimlessness and travel, and thereby "create a rhythm between excitement and boredom or surprise and depression."^[4] The characters depicted in the three segments are invariably poor, restless and on the search for connection with other human beings.

The film premiered at the Locarno Film Festival in 2016, where it won the Golden Leopard - Filmmakers of the Present. It was subsequently released at film festivals in Toronto and New York to critical acclaim. Critical comparisons were made with other filmmakers working in the slow cinema subgenre, which emphasises the durational aspect of the moving image, rather than its narrative qualities.