The Man Behind the Curtain

THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN explores the troubled mind and tumultuous life of amateur artificial intelligence researcher Chris McKinstry. Without a college education or the backing of a major research lab, McKinstry managed to develop a model for AI that sparked polarized reactions among experts in the field. Plagued with mental instability, he ultimately left in his wake a swath of broken relationships and intriguing theories, ultimately culminating in an online forum post detailing his last moments. Across Canada to South America, Chris’s friends, lovers and colleagues share their experiences with a creative man bent on fame and immortality. And the rich archives Chris left behind paint a vivid picture of a scientific outsider struggling against circumstance and biology. Directed by Michael Beach Nichols Joshua Woltermann // This was our 2009 graduate thesis film, completed as part of the Documentary Film Program at the University of Florida (now at Wake Forest University).