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Indigenous Woman Exposes Unseen Toll of Global Tech Industry
31 Oct
Summary
- "Humans in the Loop" film explores data annotation labor in rural India
- Indigenous filmmaker Bijjo Toppo mentored director Aranya Sahay
- Film to release on Netflix and in limited U.S. theatrical run
On October 31st, 2025, the drama film "Humans in the Loop" by director Aranya Sahay is set to have a dual distribution, with Netflix streaming the film in the U.S. from November 10th and a limited theatrical run and impact campaign launching on November 7th in Los Angeles.
The film follows an Indigenous woman working at a data annotation facility in rural India, where she trains AI systems, exposing the unseen human toll that undergirds the global tech industry. Produced by Storiculture and Sauv Films, the project was developed by Sahay through a Museum of Imagined Futures fellowship.
Indigenous filmmaker Bijjo Toppo served as an executive producer and mentor to Sahay, while Kiran Rao, whose film "Laapataa Ladies" represented India at last year's Oscars, also joined as an executive producer. The film has already received the Fipresci India Grand Prix award.
Misaq Kazimi, who previously worked on the release of Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf's "The Gardener," has now come aboard as an executive producer to steer the U.S. campaign for "Humans in the Loop." Sahay and the film's team are excited to share this story with American audiences and continue the conversations it has sparked about responsible AI and the role of Indigenous perspectives in shaping the future.
