Jake Chapman's Accelerate or Die!

As one of the highly provocative British art duo The Chapman Brothers, artist Jake Chapman is no stranger to challenging his audience. In this new film, he poses the question, “why is it easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism?” Perhaps the answer is ‘Accelerationism’, which emerged 50 years ago and predicted the reality we’re now living: A frenzied stasis of rapid technological advancement coupled with cultural and political stagnation. Capitalism – Accelerationism claims – is breaking down our society, our humanity, and our planet. But the only way forward is not to run from it, but to dive deeper into it. Regardless of where that takes us… As befitting for an artist as visual and extreme as Jake Chapman, this film is also part-artwork – playfully and uncompromisingly distorting the idea of how a documentary should look and feel.

Directed by Mike Christie, Jake Chapman's Accelerate or Die! leans on a strong ensemble — Jake Chapman, Matt Colquhoun, Will Self — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2023.